Police leaflets advise British rail travellers on how to act in case of Mumbai-style attack

British police have handed out leaflets at railways stations telling people to "run, hide and tell" if they find themselves caught up in a Mumbai-style terrorist attack.

The leaflets, which show terrified commuters running down stairs, hiding in a corner and speaking anxiously on a phone, have been criticised by some as "scaremongering", but police said they were raising awareness after a government warning that the threat to Britain from terrorists was "greater than ever".

The leaflets were handed out on Wednesday as part of counter-terrorism awareness week, and come after the home secretary, Theresa May, said that 40 terrorist attacks had been foiled since the July 7 attacks in 2005.

The chief constable of British transport police, Paul Crowther, said a man was sentenced this month for terrorism offences after being caught with information about how to make bombs.

"This was as a direct result of a rail passenger reporting suspicions to train staff. We need others to follow suit and play their part in keeping the UK's transport systems safe from terrorists," Crowther said.

But some transport users criticised the leaflets for stoking fear.