Chicago skyline
Chicago skyline PIC: Reuters

A man who was walking along railway tracks distracted by music on his headphones had a miraculous escape when he was hit by a train travelling at 110mph - and survived.

Darryl See, 22, was walking along the tracks when he was struck by an express train bound for Chicago. He could not hear the train driver's warning because he was listening to music on headphones and was thrown 20ft into the air by the impact.

According to the Northwest Indiana Times, doctors found that he required only a metal plate in his neck and surgery on a number of crushed vertebrae.

He was said to be making a good recovery that surprised local police officer John Boyd.

The LaPorte police officer said: "The conductor said it was a straight-on hit.

"It was absolutely amazing. I've seen a number of people get hit by trains and it's never a good thing."

See's grandmother said that he could not remember the incident.

Helen Hugley said: "He's going to make it. He says he doesn't remember anything until he woke up on the other side of the tracks."