Rail worker hailed a lifesaver after averting tragedy as pair worked …

An LNER team member from Durham Railway Station has received a prestigious life-saving award after she alerted workers to a potential danger on the tracks. Monika Stepien was awarded a LifeSaver Award at this year's National Rail Awards in recognition of her quick-thinking during the incident in February.

Monika noticed two people working on the tracks in the early hours of the morning, with recent major engineering upgrade work meaning this wasn't an unusual sight. Even so, Monika decided to check if the line had a block in place and no trains would be passing through.

On making this check, she realised that there was no block in place and that a freight train was heading in the workers' direction. Monika quickly ran back to the track, warning the workers of the danger and advising them to jump up onto the platform, and as they had their backs to the train, they would not have had much time to react if she hadn't intervened.

Monika has spoken about receiving the award and what it means to her, saying: "It was really great to be nominated and to win this award. Looking out for people and their welfare is something we do every day at work. I am pleased I was able to alert the workers to the potential danger and am honoured to receive this recognition."

The National Rail Awards are the most prestigious prizes in the industry, affectionately dubbed the 'Railway Oscars'. They recognise everything from individual contributions like Monika's, to major engineering triumphs on some of the UK's biggest projects.

David Horne, Managing Director at LNER, added; "We’re incredibly proud of Monika and this national recognition that her actions had gone above and beyond her everyday duties are richly deserved. Monika’s quick-thinking approach and her insistence that they were in danger undoubtedly helped the rail workers make their way to safety and avoided a tragedy."