THIS is the shocking moment when a reckless youth "cheats death" as he risks his own life on a Southampton railway line in the early hours.

Jaw dropping footage shows a figure in a baseball cap sprawling on the tracks with his head appearing to rest on a high voltage electrified rail.

The trespassing youngster pulls the terrifying stunt at Woolston Station - putting his life on the line just moments after watching another train pass.

Mercifully for him the 750volt line had been switched off for overnight engineering works - or rail authorities say he would have certainly died.

But today they reveal the power was switched on for passenger trains to run again around an hour after he pulled the prank.

Now police have released these shocking CCTV images in a high profile appeal to hunt him down warning that trespassing on live railway tracks and can prove fatal.

Their warning comes as another man faces losing a limb after stepping on a live rail near Totton station while walking along a track with four friends.

Today's footage shows the youth and his friend stumbling across the tracks after the station had closed.

They were among a group of four people seen congregating on the platform after gaining access through a side entrance.

The clip recorded at 5.12am on Saturday, August 2, shows a diesel-powered works train passing on its way to overnight engineering works taking place between St Denys Station and the Portcreek Junction and Farlington Junction area.

The youths are seen playing on the tracks, scrambling on the platforms and waving their hands while talking to to two others.

Another camera captures the pair laughing at something on a mobile phone and embracing after they had got back onto the platform.

Daily Echo:

The British Transport Police say they are unable to determine whether the pair were inebriated or were filming the footage.

But they estimate the four youths were hanging around on the platform for at least two hours between 4-6am.

Sergeant Alisar Kennerley from the British Transport Police (BTP) branded it "truly shocking" and said: "Luckily for them, all power was switched off due to overnight engineering works. However, there would have been no way of them knowing this, making their behaviour even more concerning.

"They seem totally oblivious to the risks as they play on the line, with one of them even resting his head on the third rail which is normally electrified.

"If the power had been on, I have no doubt we would be dealing with a fatality.

“They may have cheated death but now we want to talk to them about their reckless behaviour."

She added: “Our message to the public is clear; stay off the tracks. The railway line is a dangerous environment with passing trains and electrified rails presenting real dangers.”

Daily Echo:

A spokeswoman for Network Rail said the power was switched back on before 7am for normal service to resume.

She said: "Just because we are carrying out engineering works it does not mean that the power is always switched off.

"The railway is a dangerous environment people should stay off the tracks."

Sharon Vye-Parminter, safety and assurance director for the Network Rail-South West Trains alliance added: "Nothing more than luck kept these people from being seriously injured or even killed.

“Thankfully the number of people killed or hurt on the railways is coming down but every death or injury is preventable.

"Even though the majority of trespassers aren’t hurt, these crimes are not harmless and can result in huge delays and costs.”

Anyone who recognises the youths and witnessed the incident should contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, or text 61016, quoting references S/B6 of 26/08/2014.

Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.