These shocking images show how dozens of rail passengers diced with death by messing around at a level crossing - all in a single day.

CCTV taken at Matlock Bath station in Derbyshire captured video footage of children, teenagers and families taking photos and failing to pay attention.

Railway bosses warned that the passengers could have been killed or seriously injured if a train had come along while they were playing on the tracks.

Danger: A mother takes a photo of her two daughters sitting on the tracks at Matlock Bath railway station

Reckless: A father photographs his daughter despite the danger which could be posed from trains

Among the incidents shown in the footage released by Network Rail are young people taking selfies while looking down the tracks, and people walking over the crossing at the same time as texting on their phones.

One mother could be seen encouraging her daughters to sit down while she took a photo of them on the tracks.

And a group of 10 people, including a toddler, spent a full eight minutes posing for pictures, heedless of the danger potentially posed by trains which run along the tracks.

The footage was all captured on Sunday August 30, during a Bank Holiday weekend, at the rural station outside the town of Matlock.

While none of the people shown were hurt, there could have been very serious consequences if a train had unexpectedly come down the tracks.

Self-absorbed: A teenager could be seen pausing while she crossed the tracks to take a selfie

Near-miss: At one point a train came over the crossing even though the gate was still open

The gates to the crossing are supposed to be closed whenever a train approaches, but rail bosses warn that they can arrive almost silently and endanger anyone crossing the tracks.

Police are now appealing for help in tracking down the people shown in the CCTV so they can be reprimanded about their behaviour.

Martin Brown, operations risk advisor at Network Rail, said: 'Level crossings in rural, picturesque settings such as Matlock may look like good opportunities for a photo but the railway is not a playground.

'Trains can come from either direction at any time and being distracted by chatting, texting or taking photographs while using the crossing significantly increases the risk of an incident.'

More than 30 trains a day pass through Matlock Bath station, with around 500 pedestrian and cyclists using its heavily signposted level crossing.

Members of the public are advised to 'stop, look and listen' before going across, then to walk across without stopping and close the gate behind them.

Lingering: A group of 10 people, including a toddler, spent eight minutes taking photographs on the tracks

Phone: A teenage boy stood on the tracks and sent a text message despite the danger

Stupid: Police are now looking to speak to the people involved over 'their reckless and dangerous behaviour'

Level crossings were an integral part of the Victorian railway network, with more than 6,000 built across Britain - but train chiefs now say they are so dangerous that they would not be used at all if the network were built from scratch.

There have been a number of cases of young people and others being killed on level crossings because they did not notice the approach of a train.

Inspector Eddie Carlin of British Transport Police said: 'The photos captured are extremely worrying. We are really concerned someone is going to get seriously injured or killed at the crossing.

'Trespassing on the railway is extremely dangerous and can have tragic consequences for those involved. I have had to tell devastated families that their loved ones are not coming home due to incidents such as this and it's heartbreaking.

'The railway is a dangerous environment. Trains travel at speed and can be silent and if people are trespassing on the tracks and are distracted taking photos, selfies or texting they really are putting themselves in danger, no photo or text is worth risking your life.