The mother jumps down onto electrified tracks in


His back was turned for only a moment. But that was all it took for a sudden gust of wind to send the buggy parked by this man flying on to live Tube tracks – with the terrified toddler still strapped in.

In dramatic scenes that will strike fear into the heart of every parent, the child was left stranded with another train heading into the station.

The panic-stricken mother came running to the rescue – leaping on to the tracks and plucking the toddler to safety in the nick of time.

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Captured on camera: Man carries a buggy containing the toddler down a flight of stairs at Goodge Street Tube station

Terrifying: CCTV footage shows a woman leap onto London Underground tracks to rescue a child who rolled over the edge in its buggy after a gust of wind pushed it along the platform

Brakes on? He places the pushchair at the foot of the steps as a train pulls out of the station

Back turned: The man goes back up the stairs to fetch a second pushchair, leaving the toddler unattended

The heart-stopping images, captured on CCTV at a London Underground station, were released yesterday by British Transport Police.

First, the buggy is seen being left momentarily unattended as the man pops up a flight of stairs to fetch a second child in a buggy. It appears he may have forgotten to put the brakes on because as a train pulls in to the narrow tunnel, it sucks the air along the platform – pulling the buggy towards the track.

The pushchair is shown rolling precariously towards the edge, just feet away from a bystander who is oblivious to the drama as he listens to his headphones. It then topples on to the line, narrowly avoiding the last carriage of the train that is pulling away.

Moments later, the child’s mother is captured running across the platform. With no thought for her own safety, she jumps on to the rails to rescue the helpless child, who is still strapped into the upturned pushchair just inches from an electrified rail.

Wind tunnel: A gust from the departing train catches the child's pushchair and begins to turn it around

On the move: The buggy is now facing the platform and is sucked ominously towards it as the train rushes past

Inches from disaster: The child narrowly misses the train as the pushchair approaches the Tube rails

Oblivious: A bystander stands listening to his headphones but fails to notice the infant in the buggy trundling past

Horrifying: The buggy lurches sickeningly forward on to the live tracks, tipping over edge of the platform as it is upturned, with baby still on board

Tipping point: The buggy falls over the lip of the platform at the London Underground station in north London and onto the tracks, which are electrified

To the rescue: With no thought for her own safety the mother races to help her child... while the bystander still has no idea what is happening

Dicing with death: She risks her life by jumping down on to the tracks to rescue the infant, who is at risk from another train approaching the station

Stranded: Another camera angle shows the toddler strapped in the upturned pushchair, mum poised to jump

Saviour: The blonde mother, just inches from a live rail, grabs the pushchair and begins to lift it to safety, with her child strapped inside

Herculean effort: She lifts the pushchair off the rails as her male counterpart finally realises what is happening and comes to help. Behind him on the platform is the other child in the second buggy

Lending a hand: The man helps the mother to pull the pushchair safely onto the platform and out of harm's way as the bystander looks on with his headphones still attached. Moments later, a second train rushed into the station

Hazardous: Chief Inspector Lawrie said the incident highlighted just how dangerous the Underground can be

Faces of the couple captured on CCTV at the station. They now face questioning by the police and possible charges. If you know them or the bystander who witnesses the terrifying drama, email newsdesk@dailymail.co.uk

She then hauls both the baby and the buggy up on to the platform just in time to escape a second train pulling in to the station.

Meanwhile, her male companion appears finally to realise what is happening and walks on to the platform to help. Police are now attempting to trace the couple involved in the drama at Goodge Street station on the evening of July 23.

Officers want to make sure the child did not suffer any injuries. Although it appears the accident was a simple mistake, the couple could also face charges. The mother was wearing jeans, a black and white striped T-shirt and carrying a rucksack, with her blonde hair tied back. The man who was with her had dark hair and was wearing an orange and white striped T-shirt. Chief inspector Mark Lawrie said: ‘This was a frightening incident, not just for the scale of the danger the child was exposed to, but also because the woman then put her own life on the line by going on to the tracks.’

Last night, the incident caused outrage online. One critic wrote: ‘How stupid can you get leaving a pushchair anywhere for a few seconds. Terrible parenting!’ Police urged anyone with information to call 0800 40 50 40.