A packed train on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch line came within seconds of disaster after a motorist's “moment of madness”.

The car driver ignored red lights warning him of the arrival of the packed train at a level crossing in Lydd on Sea.

As the driver and another motorist looked on in horror, the car driver drove over the crossing as the train approached.

The near miss happened in July as the train – pulling 10 carriages – was just one metre from the crossing.

It was then – Canterbury Crown Court heard – that visiting driver Dion DeWolf decided to run the light.

"This was on any view a narrow escape. When he saw the vehicle he was convinced there was going to be a collision. Mercifully there wasn’t" - Prosecutor Christopher May

Prosecutor Christopher May told how the train driver revealed that it had been too late to use his brakes when he saw the car go past.

Judge Nigel Van Der Bijl commented: “It was a very silly thing to do.”

DeWolf, a 20-year-old power station worker from Gwynedd, admitted driving dangerously and was banned from driving for a year.

Mr May told how another motorist, Maxine Pearson had stopped at a convenience store near the crossing – next to DeWolf’s vehicle.

“As she manoeuvred her vehicle she could clearly see the red warning lights were flashing and so she stopped.

“DeWolf then reversed his vehicle from in front of the store and although Ms Pearson’s car was clearly stopped, he overtook her car and went over the crossing just as the train was approaching.

“The driver of the train estimated that there had been just one metre between his train and the car, “ he added.

The court heard that Ms Pearson was so sure there was about to be a collision she swore out loud.

The prosecutor added that the train was only travelling at 10 mph but was pulling 10 full carriages and would have needed at least 130 feet in order to stop safely.

“This was on any view a narrow escape. When he saw the vehicle he was convinced there was going to be a collision. Mercifully there wasn’t," added Mr May.

Phil Rowley, defending, agreed that DeWolf’s actions in running the lights “were silly” but the motorist believed he was further away from the train than a metre.

“However it was a very short distance and he knows how fortunate he was. He is normally a hard-working young man.”

The judge gave the motorist a six month sentence suspended for two years and ordered him to do 60 hours of unpaid work for the community.

He told him: “This was a moment of madness which could have caused a terrible accident and the consequences could have been much worse.

“Running lights at railway crossings is a serious cause for concern, “ he added.