German killed by train in Italy in bid to save dog

The man, Alexander Klimkiewicz, had lived for many years in the small town of Serravalle, outside Pistoia, with his Greek girlfriend, Il Messaggero reported.

On Thursday afternoon, the pair went on a bike ride with their dog in tow, returning home after the excursion by bus.

After getting off the bus they needed to cross a level crossing to get back to their home in Serravalle. But as they approached the crossing, the barrier was down.

While waiting for the train to pass, the couple's dog suddenly ran out onto the tracks and Klimkiewicz immediately followed – ducking under the barrier to try to lure the pet out of harm's way.

But while the dog fled the tracks, Klimkiewicz did not see the regional train, which ploughed into him, killing him on impact as his girlfriend looked on in horror.

The girlfriend was taken to hospital suffering from shock. The dog escaped unharmed.