Yob throws man at moving train at Shrewsbury station

But his attacker, drunken Daniel Worgan, of Telford, escaped with a suspended jail sentence when he appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

The court heard that it was only pure luck that Robert Evans bounced off the side of the train and landed on the platform inches from the drop onto the track.

Yesterday CCTV footage played to the court showed Mr Evans, of Wigmore, near Leominster, frantically being pulled to safety by a friend on the platform.

Father-of-three Worgan, aged 24, a lorry driver of Hadley Road, Oakengates, admitted endangering the safety of railway passengers.

He was given a six month jail sentence suspended for two years and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work. He was also told to pay £500 compensation and £250 costs and put under a three-month curfew between 8pm and 6am

Mr Robert Edwards, prosecuting, said Mr Evans was with friends waiting for a train at the railway station at 11pm on July 29 last year. Worgan made lewd comments to some girls and Mr Evans remonstrated with him.

"Worgan threw Mr Evans against a freight train that was moving out of the station. It was only luck that he bounced against the side and didn't fall onto the track," Mr Edwards said.

Mr Evans said he thought he was going to die. He now did not like going out alone and had not been on a train since. He suffered damage to his back and cuts to his arm and hand.

Mr Mark Sharman, for Worgan, said his client was appalled at his behaviour and had been drinking. He rarely went out and on this night had been out for his birthday.

Sergeant Karl Anderson, of British Transport Police, Shrewsbury, said: "This was a deliberate, violent and totally reckless act which resulted in the victim being inches from death.

"It is clear through the injuries and the trauma of the ordeal that this incident has had a substantial impact on the victim, who thought he was about to die."