Tube traveller leaps on rails

A Tube commuter was today condemned as "irresponsible" for jumping onto busy tracks to retrieve items of lost property.

The man, standing close to the edge of the platform at Sloane Square station just after the height of the morning peak period, is believed to have dropped some personal items onto the tracks. He then jumped down to reach them.

London Underground staff raised the alarm and the power was turned off, bringing the Circle and District lines to a stop for 25 minutes.

A senior Tube manager said: "This was foolhardy in the extreme. He could easily have been electrocuted or hit by a train.

"As it was, his action caused severe disruption for thousands of commuters."