51 callouts over children on West Midlands railway tracks

Walsall was the worst hotspot for trespassing on railway lines, with 11 cases reported to British Transport Police since the start of the year.

Officers were also called to five separate incidents in the Stourbridge area with the rest at stations around Birmingham.

Police say many of these incidents involved children, and officers are now appealing for parents to ensure their children are aware of the dangers the railway network poses.

Inspector Stuart Middlemas of British Transport Police in Birmingham, said that as well as risking death or injury, anyone caught trespassing on the rail network faced a fine of up to £1,000.

He said officers had already spoken with schools and written to people living near railway lines, as well as stepping up patrols in the areas where problems have been reported.

"During the lighter evenings and in school holidays, we traditionally see an increase in trespass offences on the railway," said Mr Middlemas.

"We are hoping that by targeting hotspot areas and highlighting the dangers of trespassing in an inherently dangerous environment, we will deter the majority of youngsters from playing or hanging around on the region's railway."

Mr Middlemas also asked parents and adults to take responsibility by emphasising the dangers to their children.

"If you live near the railway, ask yourself 'do you know where your children are playing?," he said. "This is not about stopping children having fun – it is about keeping them safe from harm.

"The last thing I or any other officer wants to do is knock on someone's door to tell a family their child has been killed or seriously injured as a result of them trespassing or playing on the railway."

He said the force had done a lot of work in schools educating youngsters about the dangers posed by the railway, and he now wanted all parents to lend a hand.

"We work hard to keep children away from the railway, but we need help in making sure the message reaches the right people," he added.

"In the meantime officers will be out and about across the network, working to tackle crime and to keep youngsters away from the tracks."

In addition to the incidents in Walsall and Stourbridge 10 trespassing issues were reported in Solihull and Olton, six in Sutton Coldfield and Wylde Green, six in Bromford, six in Tyseley, five in Small Heath and two in Acocks Green.