Freddie Corbett and Harley Hollingworth pulled the man off the track at Barnsley just seconds before a train arrived and are being hailed as heroes for the dangerous but selfless act.
Two teenagers who have been hailed as heroes after jumping onto the tracks to stop a man killing himself have said the train was just 45 seconds away from them.
The teenage ‘angels’ dragged the suicidal man to safety after he jumped onto the tracks at the weekend. Freddie Corbett, 15, and Harley Hollingworth, 16, sprang into action when they spotted a distressed man at Bolton upon Dearne train station in South Yorkshire.
The friends were waiting for the last train home on Saturday evening when they saw that the man had jumped onto the tracks as their train headed towards him. But the kind friends who were cast aside claim they are “heroes” and say they only hope the man gets help.
Freddie and Harley told The Mirror they were waiting for the last 10.30pm train home when the drama unfolded. Freddie said: “I feel like we just did what every other boy should have done. However, I am very grateful for what everyone has said to us.
“We were a bit shocked yesterday because it was a serious moment, but we are fine now and happy that it worked out.” The teenager told how when they arrived they saw a man in a sleeping bag sitting on the platform.
“Then he stood up, stepped on the rails and said, ‘I’m going to kill myself tonight.’ I said; “You don’t do that, buddy.” I saw a train coming, but I jumped straight ahead and got it off. It was just a natural instinct.
“My grandmother said later; “You stupid idiot, you could have been squashed.” But my parents are proud. I hope he gets help now. I talked to my mom about it and she’s a nurse and she says he will.”
His friend Harley, 16, who also jumped onto the tracks to help the man to safety, said: “I wasn’t worried about the train, I just wanted to make sure Freddie got it off the track. We could see the headlights of the train coming and it’s not a very long curve.”
Freddie added: “The train was there about 45 seconds after we got off. He kept telling us, ‘You’re good guys.’ You could see he was having a really hard time.”
Network Rail’s Gary Robinson expressed his own thanks, saying the boys had saved the man’s life. In a post on social media, Gary said: “I called a man this evening intending to harm himself on the railway… these two boys were his angels. Dragged him off the railroad…sat and talked to him until I got there and didn’t say no. mistakes saved his life!
“Kids get a bad press, but with the humanity like those boys on display tonight, we’re in safe hands! These two boys are a credit to their parents and I can’t speak about them enough. If you see them, buy them a J20 (not old enough for pints yet).”
Freddie’s father, Billy, from Goldthorpe, said he was ‘super proud’ of the boys as both parents said it was “about time we had some good news and good press about our children”. Billy said: “My son and his friend jumped on the track, pulled him off the track and held him.
“The train stopped, the police were called and then my son and Harley continued to talk to the man until they arrived.” Harley’s father Dale Hollingworth also praised the boys’ actions, saying they had shown ‘courage and quick thinking’. he was as “proud as punch”.
Dale, 39, a double glazing installer from Rotherham, said: “I was buzzing. I’m bursting with pride. He’s just a typical grumpy teenager, but you can clearly tell he has a heart of gold.
‘He came home around midnight on Saturday evening with the guy from Network Rail, who told us they had been incredible. To be honest, I’m still overwhelmed.”
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