Two men narrowly escaped jail and serious injury after jumping from a moving train while drunk.

James Mitchell, 28, of Mitcham and Sam Collis, 26, of Tadworth were travelling home from Clapham Junction on May 5 after an afternoon in the pub watching the FA Cup final.

After boarding the train the inebriated pair began shouting and swearing before realising the train was not due to stop at Mitcham Junction.

The pair pulled the emergency cord slowing the train just past Mitcham Junction as Collis forced the doors open and leapt from the train which was still travelling at about 20mph.

Mitchell followed shortly after the train had come to a stop.

Rendered unconscious by the fall and with injuries thought to be life threatening, Collis was airlifted to hospital where he was put in an induced coma.

Miraculously he walked away the next day with only a hair line fracture to his skull.

The pair appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates for sentencing on Wednesday, June 13, after both pleaded guilty to endangering the safety of people on the railway.

Speaking in court their defence lawyer said neither man was in the habit of getting drunk and disruptive and that they were both hard-working.

The pair’s stunt left other passengers stranded on the train for an hour and caused delays to other services, at a cost of £11,000 to the rail network.

The magistrate, Derek Piper, said: "Let there be no doubt that this is a very serious offence and its seriousness is marked by the fact that this could have gone to the crown court.

"Your actions on the day caused trauma to the passengers who must have been terrified.

"It was a huge inconvenience to them and the rail company.

"You have shown remorse and have said you are both ashamed.

"If you are then those are certainly the right feelings that you should have - you should be ashamed."

He added: "You are very fortunate you are not leaving with the gentlemen either side of you and to prison.

"It was a stupid and thoughtless offence."

Both were ordered to pay costs of £85 and were given a community order to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work within one year.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "Trespass on the railway is a serious matter and all too often it can have deadly consequences for those involved.”