Shocking footage has been released capturing a couple risking a toddler’s life - and their own - by entering a level-crossing.

The CCTV has been released by Network Rail and British Transport Police as a warning about the perils of level crossing misuse.

Two adults are seen climbing over a six-foot-high locked gate at Seamer station in North Yorkshire, passing a toddler over and running across the tracks in front of a train as it pulls into the station.

The couple, who appear to be running late for the train, are then trapped inside the crossing and repeat the stunt on the opposite gate before running up to the platform – only to miss the train anyway.

Adults risk toddler's life on railway in shocking CCTV footage

The incident happened at around 6.30pm on New Year’s Eve, just three weeks after a man pushing a bicycle was almost killed by a train at Ducketts level crossing in Pudsey, Leeds.

Across Yorkshire since 2014 there have been 6,000 reports of deliberate misuse at level crossings, include 50 ‘near misses’ and three fatalities.

Insp Richard Price from BTP said: “Despite our constant warnings about using crossings safely and the dangers of the railway, unbelievably some people are still willing to risk their lives, and in this case, the life of a young child. People think it won’t happen to me, but it can and it does and it’s simply not worth the risk.”