The image below shows the moment a schoolgirl put her life on the line by crossing a live 630-volt Tube track in Kensington .

The youngster is seen crossing the lines at Latimer Road station and narrowly avoiding the live rails, leading to Transport for London (TfL) bosses to launch an urgent investigation.

Rail union leaders are also calling for London Underground (LU) job cuts to be reversed, saying it highlighted the threat to safety caused by leaving stations unstaffed.

A passenger called the London Underground on a mobile phone when the girl was spotted on the tracks while other travellers looked on in amazement.

The incident took place at the station which is on the Hammersmith and City Line.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “RMT warned tube bosses again and again that the job cuts they were proposing would leave many stations unstaffed.

“This is exactly what happened at Latimer Road where it took a passenger with a mobile phone to let London Underground know that a schoolchild has been wandering across electrified track while trains run.”

Latimer Road station is on the Hammersmith and City Line

Members of the RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) are currently refusing to work overtime as part of industrial action over job cuts and the closure of ticket offices.

Mr Cash said: “London’s Tube stations have been operating on the basis of our members’ goodwill.

"Now that our members are refusing to work six day weeks and additional hours the system is collapsing.”

LU said an investigation has been launched, and that safety officers would visit the girl’s school to advise pupils of the dangers of the railway.

A spokesman said: “The station was not unstaffed. There was a member of staff on the gateline.

“That is usual practice at Latimer Road which is a one staff member station and has been for some time.”

Earlier this year British Transport Police put together a shocking new video (see above) showing young people dicing with death by trespassing on railway lines.

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