A campaign to keep children off train tracks has begun in Worcester Park after the station was identified as a rail crime hotspot.

The No Messin’ initiative will now attempt to reduce the 18 cases of trespassing and vandalism reported at the station last year.

Organisers will highlight how young people are dicing with death on railway lines and offer a programme of safer activities.

Phillipa Stroud, Conservative parliamentary candidate for the area, is backing the scheme, which is also running at Sutton and Cheam stations.

She said: “Antisocial behaviour and crimes such as trespass and vandalism are a real problem for people and businesses in Worcester Park.

“Not only are people needlessly putting their own lives and the safety of train staff at risk, they are causing considerable disruption to the travelling public through their actions.

“I hope that, by raising awareness among young people about the dangers of trespassing on the railway and the often tragic consequences of doing so, we can save lives.”

Last October a teenager narrowly avoided serious injury after playing “chicken” with a train travelling into Worcester Park.

Four young people seen smashing trains windows with bricks, stones and bottles were also arrested for endangering public safety.

Ellie Reilly, Network Rail’s community safety manager for the southeast, said: “Our message is simple: it is never safe to trespass on the railway.

“The 750 volts of electricity in every part of the third rail is switched on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and trains could be running up and down the track at any time day or night.

“People should not take shortcuts across the railway and, if they drop something onto the track, they should ask railway staff for assistance.”

For more information about the campaign go to no-messin.com.

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