Two-week crackdown on rail crime

Recently bricks were placed on the tracks in Stockton

Vandals who throw objects on to railway tracks and trespass on the lines are being targeted in a two-week crackdown.

British Transport Police (BTP) will be responding to vandal alerts and targeting hotspots during the Easter holidays when incidents increase.

In 2007, a total of 491 offences involving the railways were recorded throughout the North East.

The majority of these incidents were of people trespassing on the tracks and putting themselves in danger.

Recent incidents include a shopping trolley being thrown on the track leading to the Redheugh Bridge in Gateshead and being struck by a train.

Education process

No-one was injured, although services were delayed while engineers worked to clear the debris.

Earlier this month a driver reported youths placing bricks on the tracks in the Roseworth area of Stockton.

A spokesman for BTP said: "Education is a part of the process and whenever youths are stopped on the railway, officers will always find out which school they attend to see if that school has a particular problem.

"Specially trained schools liaison officers will then visit the schools to educate children of the dangers and consequences of their actions."