A dramatic rise in rail crime has prompted a stark warning to children who risk their lives by playing on train tracks.

According to a report by Network Rail, obtained by the Wiltshire Times, there have been 72 incidents in the Trowbridge and Chippenham areas over the past year. More than a third of these incidents involved children who were caught trespassing, throwing stones at trains or leaving objects on the track.

In Trowbridge, many of the cases involved shopping trolleys had been thrown onto the tracks. Every school in west and north Wiltshire has been contacted by Network Rail about the rise and visits are planned at George Ward School in Melksham and Clarendon College in Trowbridge to hammer home the safety message.

Roy Hamlin, Network Rail's general manager for the west, said: "We implore parents and guardians to make sure their children understand the dangers of playing on the tracks. We don't want any child to die as a result of playing on the railway this Easter."

Last year saw 27 incidents recorded in Trowbridge, including 13 trespasses, seven of which were involving juveniles, and three reports of objects being thrown at trains. In Bradford, Melksham and Yarnbrook there were 17 incidents reported. Robbie Burns, Network Rail's western route director, said: "I cannot stress enough how dangerous it is to place objects of any kind on railway lines. These actions could have resulted in the derailment of the train with the potential for serious injuries or fatalities."

Graham Dodge, vice chairman of the West Wilts Rail Users Group, said he had heard stories of children wandering alongside the track. "They wouldn't go and play on the motorway and the railway line is not a playground. I don't think people realise how long it takes a train to stop," he said.

"I've heard from other people that children walk along the track in Melksham to get to McDonald's. Anyone trespassing on the track is being very foolish. "They could be killed, they can be mown down by trains coming down the track in either direction."

In September the Wiltshire Times reported that 40 teenagers had been spotted playing chicken' on the track in Warminster on the Imber Road railway bridge.

  • Network Rail has launched a website www.no-messin.co.uk as part of its campaign to warn young people of the dangers of the railway. Members of the public can report railway crime anonymously on 0800 405040.