Mystery stranger who saved boy from Tube death

Rescued: Benjamin Nelson-West with his mother Adrianna, father Barry and sister Amelia, two
Peter Dominiczak12 April 2012

The parents of a boy who fell beneath a Tube train today praised the "angel" commuter who saved his life.

Benjamin Nelson-West, four, slipped into the gap between the train and platform at Acton Town station.

A man then threw himself on to the platform and hauled Benjamin out seconds before the train pulled away.

His mother, Adrianna Nelson-West, 35, from Hillingdon, today vowed to track the man down to thank him.

Mrs Nelson-West had temporarily let go of Benjamin's hand as she tried to get two-year-old daughter Amelia's pushchair on to the Piccadilly line train to Hammersmith.

The next thing she knew Benjamin had disappeared and was screaming "mummy, mummy" from the underneath the carriage.

She said: "Suddenly Benjamin wasn't there. I heard him shouting and I just panicked. I tried to block the doors to stop the train pulling away. I was shouting and screaming but nobody seemed to do anything.

"I don't think the driver could see what was happening because it was at the back of the train and the platform is curved. I thought he was going to start the train."

She said that the man who saved Benjamin seemed to come from nowhere. "Suddenly he appeared. Everyone else seemed to be frozen in shock but he threw himself on the platform and pulled Benjamin up by his hands.

"I was still blocking the door and he passed Benjamin to me. The doors started closing and all I could say was thanks, then the train left. I am desperate to track him down and thank him. My son is my life. If that man had not been there, Benjamin would be dead."

Mrs Nelson-West was on her way to meet husband Barry, 54. The chef said she had been in shock for days after the incident at around 1pm on 31 July.

"My wife is still having nightmares about it. I'm so anxious to meet the man and thank him. We know so little about him. My wife said he is in his thirties, but she didn't notice much more. She says he is Benjamin's guardian angel."

Transport for London spokesperson said: "Our station staff were alerted to this event after it occurred. It seems one quick thinking passenger came to another's aid."

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