A NORTH-EAST man who was hit by an express train travelling at 100mph was able to walk away from the accident.

John Scouler was exercising his dog when he was struck on the East Coast Main Line.

Amazingly, even though he was injured, Mr Scouler was well enough to walk to a friend's house where he rang for an ambulance.

The 58-year-old father somehow suffered only minor injuries when he was hit by the train on the line between Newcastle and Edinburgh.

Mr Scouler's family dubbed him the luckiest man alive after the accident.

Mr Scouler, a retired joiner, from Dudley, on the outskirts of Newcastle, was walking his King Charles spaniel Lady, over a footpath crossing the line when he was hit.

His son Mark Scouler, 22, said: "Nobody can believe what has happened. He is so lucky to be alive.

"You don't get hit by a train and walk off, but that's exactly what happened to dad.

"The footpath crosses the track, but it is on a bend. You only see along the track for about a hundred yards and he didn't hear the train.

"He said he only saw it at the last minute and raced forward to get out the way.

"It just clipped his back and sent him spinning to the ground. The dog was very lucky too. Fortunately, she was walking in front of him.

"Dad actually walked to a friend's house to ring for an ambulance, even though he was in quite a lot of pain.

"He is sitting up in bed in the hospital and he is okay, but I think what has happened is starting to dawn on him. He is still very shocked.

The accident happened at 1.45pm on Saturday, at the crossing near Wansbeck Road, Dudley.

Emergency crews rushed to his friend's house and he was taken to Newcastle General Hospital suffering from a back injury and shock.

He has received treatment for a back injury and doctors say he will need some plastic surgery.

A spokesman for British Transport Police said: "He was very, very lucky to survive and it has amazed everyone that he was okay."

Police believe that the path where Mr Scoular was walking is a pedestrian crossing.