A MAN ran up a railway line to alert a train driver to stop after his friend was beaten and thrown on to the track.

The incident happened on the southbound platform of Tynemouth Metro station, on Sunday, at about 11pm.

The victim, a 38-year-old man from North Shields, North Tyneside, had been socialising with friends earlier in the evening.

He was with two men on the southbound platform while two other men he had been with were on the northbound side.

A group of youths, in their late teens to early 20s, started an argument with one of the three men on the southbound platform.

The victim stepped in between them and was punched from behind.

He fell to the floor where the youths continued to assault him before throwing him on to the Metro line and then making off.

The man suffered a shattered kneecap and fractured cheekbone in the incident.

As his friends tried to help him off the track, a Metro began to approach.

One of the men from the northbound platform ran up the Metro line to attract the attention of the driver and get the Metro to stop.

The injured man is receiving treatment in North Tyneside General Hospital.

The platform was busy with passengers at the time of the attack and police believe there will be a number of witnesses to the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to contact North Shields CID on 0191-214 6555, ext 63145.