WATCH: 'We've picked up body parts before' Shocking Irish footage shows woman and child duck under railway barriers as train approaches

Police in Northern Ireland have published shocking footage of a woman appearing to run under a closing level crossing with a young girl.

The incident, which took place in Lurgan, Co Armagh, could have ended in tragedy, according to  PSNI Chief Inspector Jon Burrows.

"That young girl and her parent of guardian could have been killed," Burrows said.

"Getting hit by a train is certain death and people just don't get the message.

"We've picked up body parts in the past."

Authorities across Ireland have issued several warning regarding level crossings in recent months.

Last year, Iarnoid Eireann released footage of a train smashing through a level crossing in Longford.

The white truck tried to race through the junction on the Ballymahon Road near Edgeworthstown before the barrier comes down.

The truck then smashed through the barrier, causing damage and leading to delays to the train service.

Two month beforehand, the company released footage of motorists crashing into the barriers at level crossings in various locations around the country.

It captures a series of incidents in which vehicles crash into level crossing gates as they descend.

In some cases, the vehicles appear to be driving too fast to stop in time and at other times, the motorists are taking a chance to speed under the gates before they close down.