This is the rail close moment a train tears off the entire front of a van after the driver tried to beat a level crossing.

Shocking CCTV footage from Przylek Duzy, central Poland on 13th May shows traffic queued up behind the crossing barriers waiting for the train to pass.

One impatient driver in a blue van, however, tries to beat the train and steers around the queue and bumps up onto the tracks.

But a split second later a Polish National Railways locomotive powers straight through the train ripping off half the engine bay.

As the dust clears the radiator has been torn off sending off clouds of steam and engine and body parts are scattered down the tracks.

Astonishingly the driver emerges apparently completely unharmed to examine the damage before he goes back to rescue an injured man from the passenger seat.

As the footage closes the driver is seen on his phone calling emergency services while passersby try to help his passenger at the side of the road.

The victim was rushed to hospital by paramedics and is reportedly recovering from serious injuries.

Polish State Railways later condemned the driver saying: "The perpetrator of the accident bears the consequences for the damage caused., including the destruction of the locomotive.

"The driver also caused considerable stress to those involved."

They added: "Our passengers lost time and money and it tied up the emergency services who lost valuable time instead of helping where they were really needed."

The van driver, not named but reportedly 26 years old, was found to be sober, according to the police.

The incident is under investigation.