Commuters at a train station in Australia were taken by surprise when an escaped racehorse joined them on the platform, awaiting a passenger service.

The unexpected visitor, a rogue animal, appeared at Warwick Farm station in New South Wales, trotting down the platform and even pausing behind the yellow line as the train approached.

Footage shared by Transport for NSW captured the moment, showing startled commuters stepping back as the horse made its way past just before midnight on April 5.

Transport for NSW took a lighthearted approach to the incident, sharing an update on Facebook referring to the horse as a “missing individual” who was “reported to be wearing only a rug and demonstrating a bit of horseplay.”

The post humorously described how the horse seemed to follow someone along the platform before attempting, unsuccessfully, to board a train.

Eventually, the horse was taken in by its owner from the car park area and safely returned home.

The update concluded with a playful note: “No one involved in the incident intends to take any further action as the individual was only horsing around!”

While local media suggested that Warwick Farm station is situated near a racecourse, it has not been confirmed whether this is where the horse escaped from.