CHATTERIS: Railway worker honoured for stopping suicide under the wheels of 125 mph train.

A FENLAND rail worker saved the life of a depressed hospital patient by stopping her committing suicide under the wheels of a 125mph express train.

Now 44-year-old Teresa Steer has been honoured by her employers with two Gold Excellence Awards.

The Chatteris grandmother was about to go off duty as customer assistant at Huntingdon station when she saw the young woman arrive at the station and was immediately concerned for her welfare.

Fearing the worst, she immediately alerted Network Rail controllers, who ordered trains to slow to walking pace. She followed the young woman along the platform, where she was sitting on the platform edge.

Mrs Steer said: "I knew I had to stop the trains first, and then I sat talking with her for a while.

"Suddenly, as a GNER express train approached very slowly, she went onto the track.

"I had to get permission to follow her, and I spent about 20 minutes talking to her before I persuaded her to leave.

"I was trying to make her understand that taking medication did not make her a burden. Lots of people have to take medication every day.

"I suggested she put down how she was feeling on paper to show to her doctors. I haven't seen her since, so I hope she's all right.

Mrs Steer, who joined the railway seven years ago and whose first grandchild, Mckelvey Benjamin, was born last October shortly after the incident, added: "I would like to think I saved her life."

Her second gold award at the same ceremony staged by train operator First Capital Connect was in recognition of the help she provides for disabled people.

"Teresa has shown a level of customer care that is exceptional to First Capital Connect," said the company.

Mrs Steer, who used to work in a care home for elderly people, is employed to help customers, particularly disabled and elderly people, at the station and to keep it clean and safe.