It's a pity Southeastern Railway didn't have platform staff on the platform., especially since it was busy. As part of their job, they could have asked the men to stop smoking, or could have intervened during the fracas , or would have been trained to act instantly after what took place.

Patricia, Hemel Hempstead,

"Where Jesus goes...the captives are set free"

What a load of drivel. Where religion goes, death, hatred, and betrayal are sure to follow. The sooner humans move from outdated and fabricated religious thinking the wolrd will be a better place.

Paul, Milton keynes,

G. Gibson - i've just left Sydney after 2 1/2 years and one of the reasons was crime. UK is bad but Australia is no better.
And religion just causes wars. Last thing we need is to add religion to the mix.

Giles, Singapore, Singapore

Since when is a police officer or constable ever "off duty" and if near enought to give chase had they turned a blind eye to the smokers.

neil, Swindon, UK

"We don’t think they meant to push her on there" a police source said.

Typical that the police are already making excuses for their ridicuous behaviour!

joe lines, potters bar, UK

This is not about smoking! It's about 2 thugs who pushed over a woman because they didn't like what she was saying to them. They should have walked away as it stands they shoudl go to prison. I smoke, it is disgusting, it stinks, it may kill me - about time that its socially unacceptable to do it!

Vic Bate, Derby, Derbyshire

Stop harping on about the rights and wrongs of smoking at railway stations! This story is about arrogant people who think they are above the law, not another chance for people to moan about our "PC nanny state". Well done Linda

charlie, sidcup, kent

Isn't what they did to her 'ATEMPTED MURDER' and down to sheer luck she was not killed by either the high voltage rail or a passing train.

as such those Thugs should be hunted down and have the book thrown at them (5-10years behind bars) at least.

simon, norwich,

John M,
The "toxic situation" was created by the two violent, thugs who think attempted murder is an appropriate reaction to someone pointing out that they were in the wrong. Grow up!

Esther, London,

This sums up what I think about my own country and why I know longer choose to live in it. On the one hand there is a law preventing people from smoking OUTSIDE on a railway platform and on the other hand something that the 'nanny state' cannot legislate for: respect and courtesy towards others.

Marie, Bodrum,

To all the people who think this wouldn't have happened if there wasn't a ban on smoking at stations. What next? Allow the Islamic millitants to run this country as they please to avoid another 9/11 or 7/7?

Luke, London, UK

Stefan , Raynes Park, England - 'Self Policing' - yes she was and well done to her for that. I find your attitude of ignoring such problems utterly ridiculous.

Hamish, Reading, UK

I think Linda Buchanan should be commended for speaking up on behalf of the core society of Britain who think that anti-social behaviour is too readily being tolerated. I fail to see how the criminals can have any defence to their actions and I hope they will be caught in due course.

Khaled Shivji, London,

On outdoor open railway platforms not 'substantially enclosed' , smoking is banned at the whim of the rail operators and not by law. Isn't rail travel stressful enough these days without operators deliberately creating toxic situations where incidents such as decribed above are bound to occur?

John M., London,

"However she was "self policing" which I find to be highly offensive"

And I find it highly offensive that you attempt to shift the blame to the victim.

Sarah, London,

Mike Hart of London misses the point entirely.
It's not because of a few cigarettes - it's because some people think they are above the law. We don't need to "rediscover a sense of proportion" - we need to ensure that those who ideliberately injure others are severely punished.

D James, Lancashire, UK

Everybody seems to agree the perpetrators deserve severe punishment. But - I wonder if they will actually be found by the police or will this be yet another case of people getting away with it?

Richard, Melbourne,

not being able to smoke on an "open air" train platform is a joke.these two guys were dissobeying the ridiculous nanny state which seems to have taken this country over.I have no sympathy for this woman.she should have just moved to another part of the platform.

greg aylott, chatham, england

Another symptom of an increasing problem in the UK; more idiots who think the rules don't apply to them. Catch the scum; send them down. That'll surprise them, although I'd bet the idiots seriously won't be able to understand what they did wrong. Forget the smoking - this was attempted murder.

Steve, London, UK

As usual, we'll have a big hoo-ha about this story for the next week or so.....and then nothing practical from the politicians. Why, because the politicians are absolutely spineless to bring in tougher laws and sentencing.

Peter, London,

The United Kingdom is waning along with its society. And i don't see any signs of it improving. And thats why im leaving

Dom, London,

Obviously I think these cowards who push Ladies are exactly that. However she was "self policing" which I find to be highly offensive as she did have the choice to walk to the other end of the station, they are several hundred feet long.

Stefan , Raynes Park, England

John, Lincoln - for once as a society we should stop blaming other people - brown can't be responsible for this - We need to look at the grassroots - parents spoil their kids silly and never support school rules or punishments when they grow up and cant get their own way this happens.

simon, London,

Mike Hart and Pete - grow up. This not about smoking! It is about the thuggish society that now plagues Britain. The brave lady could have just as easily asked them not to swear or spit etc! Bring back corporal punishment in schools,the birch and whatever it takes to stamp out this cancer!

Brian Wildey, Fleurance, France

"Althouigh I feel these thugs should face the full force of the law, it once again opens the debate over the pathetic smoking ban. "

No, it doesn't. The thugs were wrong. The end.

M.R., Stockport,

According to yesterdays news, there was a conversation one day and the two men returned a couple of days later and attacked this woman. As they pushed onto a live rail this would appear to have been premeditated, so attempted murder.

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

Aren't there any station inspectors in England to remind people not to smoke. Otherwise who is supposed to police the "ban" on smoking on railway platforms? Evidently this job has been left up to rail passengers, who risk death to remind people of the law.

Bemused, Melbourne, Australia

I expect the Police were busy manning radar speed cameras in order to meet their "targets". They probably won't even record this nasty incident as a crime, then the crime figures stand less chance of showing an increase.

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

When they say smoking is dangerous for your health, I don't think they meant this. If the two men really did not mean it they should give themselves up and say they are sorry.

Andrew, Livingston,

Cigarettes does not come into this, we are talking here of people that have no personal disipline or morals. There is now a great underclass who think and act like this. As for these two men find them and jail them as an examlpe.

Ged for New England, N Yorks, UK

Althouigh I feel these thugs should face the full force of the law, it once again opens the debate over the pathetic smoking ban. This platform I believe was outside, so where is the harm smoking there? No doubt the fascist anti smokers will bleat on, but theres more polution than just fag smoke.

Pete, St Albans, England

"She stumbled backwards and fell on to the track. We don’t think they meant to push her on there. They were as surprised as she was.” Quite frankly, I couldn't give a toss if they meant for her to land on the track or not - they over reacted very aggressively and nearly cost her life.

Holly, Manchester, UK

Bring back the birch - NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!

ian payne, walsall,

The perpetrators of this crime deserve ta pay a very high price for their arogance and cowardice ,othewise youth today WILL behave the same way and get away with it.Send out a message ,WE WILL NOT TOLERATE SUCH BEHAVIOR ANY LONGER.AND IF YOU DO YOU WILL SPEND MANY YEARS PAYING FOR IT.

james hazan, huddersfield, U.K.

Brown's Britain.

John, Lincoln,

These ' boys ' are in dyer need of some respect! I'm sick of people in my age bracket thinking they are untouchable! Mike (above) is right for a few cigarettes to result in such an attack.......... If they were ' men ' they would have stayed put and helped! 22

Amanda Sweeney, Colchester, Essex

We look at your crime rate from down under and we wonder "what on earth are you going to do about it"?

Youre losing the land of Kings and Queens because of dithering!

Try seeding Christian revival in Uk youth and UK unemployed.

Where Jesus goes...the captives are set free.

G.Gibson, Sydney, Australia

Is Mike Hart REALLY saying this brave woman should allow the smoking to continue - when will right be right and wrong be simply wrong. There is a law against smoking - it should be upheld by all.

jane Hills, London,

i see people smoking every day on station platforms in the Southeast and I have never a member of Southeastern Railways staff stop them. This lady was brave, where were the staff ?

Mick Tingey, Ramsgate, UK

For the sake of a couple of cigarettes this nearly resulted in a death. We need to rediscover a sense of proportion.

Mike Hart, London, England