Watch - Children risking their lives on the tracks
Liverpool has one of the highest records in the North West for children tresspassing on train tracks
Liverpool has one of the highest records in the North West for children tresspassing on train tracks
Network Rail have issued the warning after new figures showed children are almost twice as likely to trespass on the railway in the summer than the winter.
The firm, which manages Britain's railway track system, said the longer evenings and extended school holidays "spell danger" for young people.
In Liverpool last year there was 63 trespass incidents during the summer, the second highest across the region. It resulted in 1764 minutes worth of delays
Chief Inspector Sue Peters, who is responsible for BTP’s response to trespass in the North West, said: “The last thing our officers want to do is knock on someone’s door to tell a parent their child has been killed or seriously injured as a result of trespassing.
“We’re doing all we can to keep children safe by patrolling areas where we know they’re likely to trespass and prevent them from doing so. However, we cover thousands of miles of track and we cannot tackle this issue alone.
“That is why we are urging parents and young people to heed this warning and take a reality check when it comes to trespass. It’s not a game: they are real tracks, with real trains and real life consequences."
“In addition to patrols, we’ll also be putting signs and posters up at Irlam, Flixton, Patricroft, Lostock, Urmston, Chassen Road and Humphrey Park stations, where trespass is currently an issue, to deter people from endangering their lives by going on the lines.”
To find out how to keep your children safe on the railway, visit www.networkrail.co.uk/safety-education/information-for-parents/
You can watch a video of some shocking trespass incidents below.