Warning after children as young as four on West Midlands railway lines
Children as young as four or five have been seen trespassing on railway lines, police have said.
It comes just days after it emerged there were 51 incidents of youngsters trespassing on railway tracks in the West Midlands this year.
And as the school holidays get under way, officers from the Safer Travel Partnership are urging parents to keep tabs on their children.
April to August sees a peak in incidents such as trespassing on lines, criminal damage and anti-social behaviour.
Inspector Lee Gordon of the Partnership's Safer Travel Team said: "The question we would like parents to ask themselves is 'Do I know where my children are?
"Sometimes young people can be drawn into messing about on or near railway lines but they need to understand the dangers and consequences of doing so and parents have an important role to play in that."
He added the report of four or five-year-old on the track was on May 5 when they were seen by staff on the Birmingham to Stratford line at Olton near Solihull.
The youngsters were never traced.
Coucillor Roger Horton, Centro lead member for rail, said: "Safer Travel officers work with schools and youth organisations to educate young people about the dangers of such behaviour.
"What can seem like a bit of fun or messing about can have potentially fatal consequences either for them or someone else.
"With the school holidays getting closer our message to anyone thinking about playing around on or near railway lines is 'Don't'."
