A SHOCKED pensioner yesterday told of the terrifying moment she shot through a rail carriage in her motorised scooter and was left dangling in the path of an oncoming train.

Tina Dees boarded the train at a station on her 4mph scooter and bumped into the opposite doors.

To her horror, the doors gave way like ''tin foil'' and the scooter got wedged between them.

The 80-year-old was thrown from her seat, but was only saved from serious injury when the collar of her blouse snagged on the handlebars.

It was then she realised another train was heading towards her and she had no option but to struggle free and drop onto the tracks in a bid to escape.

''It was just horrifying. I knew the only way I could get out was to let myself drop on to the tracks,'' she said.

Mrs Dees dropped on to the Metro lines as the oncoming Metro stopped 50 yards from where she lay.

Paramedics were called and Mrs Dees, who lives in a sheltered housing complex in the Brockley Whins area of South Shields, was taken to South Tyneside District Hospital and treated for cuts and bruises.

The Northern Echo reported yesterday how the accident happened as Mrs Dees was boarding the train at her local Metro railway station on Monday with her friend Janet Stead, 65.

There is a step-up of about three or four inches from the platform to the train, so Mrs Dees was taking a short run-up in her scooter to get enough momentum to get her back wheels up on to the carriage when the accident happened.

The electric scooter is not fitted with brakes - it comes to a standstill when the accelerator is released - but there is a couple of seconds' delay until it stops dead.

Mrs Dees said she sometimes bumps into the doors on the other side of the carriage - but never at any speed.

But this time the doors gave way and she found herself teetering over the edge of the train.

Metro operator Nexus said the oncoming train driver had been aware of the incident and had stopped 50 yards from Mrs Dees in order to assist.

A spokesman said: ''This incident is unprecedented in Metro history and we are absolutely confident our trains are safe. We don't wish to comment further while investigations continue."