"A real hero!": Railway employee saves dog from incoming train - with croissant

Created: 2022-11-27 04:46

By: Anna Heyers

When Paul Hawthorn starts his shift, he has no idea that he is saving a life and thus becoming an everyday hero.

And all that with just a croissant.

Paul Hawthorn, a railway worker from Luton, England, is currently being celebrated as a hero on the Internet.

He owes the media attention to a TikTok video where everyone could see his good heart and courage: During his morning shift he was called to the rails for an emergency.

A dog was walking alone along the platform at Leagrave Station, looking very lost.

The waiting passengers did not know what to do - someone had to act.

Railway employee Paul holds the young dog very tight, he shouldn't jump onto the tracks again.

© getinthebarth/TikTok

Dog in danger: railway employees want to save four-legged friends from an incoming train

Paul rushed down and managed to grab the young and very excited puppy.

But probably not tight enough, because in his panic he managed to wriggle out of Paul's grasp.

Paul knew he had to act quickly because the next train would be arriving moments later.

newspaper

: "My worst fear came true when he jumped onto the tracks.

I thought, 'What should I do now?'

– and then my training started.”

I was like, 'Oh my god, he's getting hit by a train'.

Paul Hawthorn opposite the Mirror

Paul passed the warning on to those in charge, causing the trains to slow down and be ready to brake.

Meanwhile, the young four-legged friend ran back and forth across the tracks, but couldn't get back onto the platform.

The shouting and beckoning of the passengers and the general volume increased his fear more and more, which was clearly visible in his body language.

Everyone wanted to help, but even the railway employees are not allowed on the tracks under any circumstances - the danger is simply too great.

Irresistible: A croissant as a last resort

The saving idea then came from the kiosk next door.

Paul: "But the man from the coffee kiosk had a croissant and we used it to lure the dog to the edge of the platform." And the miracle happened: the almost panicked dog stopped, sniffed - and couldn't resist the delicious smell of the freshly baked pastries.

Hesitantly he approached the edge of the platform.

"He couldn't jump up.

But when he put his paws out for the croissant, I managed to grab him and pull him onto the platform," Paul told the

.

This time he held the dog particularly well.

Under no circumstances should the four-legged friend escape again.

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After two waiting people helped Paul to his feet, he first took the frightened dog to the employees' break room.

After a brief respite - for both of them - the 56-year-old posted a picture of the pup on social media in an attempt to track down the owners.

What to do if you see an animal in distress?

First observe whether action really needs to be taken.

If yes: Secure the animal if possible.

But only if there is no danger to your own life or well-being.

Then notify the responsible organizations.

In the case of an animal on the tracks, this would be the relevant train company, and animal protection organizations can help with injured or orphaned wild animals.

The police can also help and take action if necessary.

That was also successful: Within less than two hours, mum and dad came to Leagrave Station in a state of disarray.

In contrast to the TikTok video, in which the dog was suspected to have been abandoned, according to the

, the animal probably escaped through an open garage door and was sorely missed by the owners.

Many a dog is indeed a king of escapists and can escape from boarding houses, for example.

Others even break into strangers' houses and sleep in the same bed or are picked up by a police car.

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View photo gallery

“He is our hero” – Employer is proud of Paul

Jenny Saunders, Head of Rail Customer Service, is enthusiastic about her colleague: “Paul is a real hero.

The train tracks are a dangerous place and his quick thinking saved this dog's life.

It has now been viewed by more than ten million people:

• “I would have jumped immediately without thinking.

  Thank you, you are a hero to me🥰👏🏻"

• "It's a shame that most people just watch and wait"

• "Respect 💯💯💯💯😍😍😍😍😍"

• "Omg would jump right in and help luckily there are still people who help directly ❤️"

• "Should actually be a matter of course"

• "I'm not crying... you're crying..."

But Paul is not alone in his love of animals: a courier who saved two dogs from drowning and a police officer who rescued one of the four-legged friends from a burning car also showed a spirited commitment.

And dogs themselves often show their love for people in spectacular ways: Without Henry, Kelly Andrew's daughter might not be alive anymore.