CHILDREN as young as six-years-old are among people spotted risking their lives by trespassing on railway lines.

Network Rail said 22 incidents of trespassing on lines across the region – including at Darlington, Durham and Newcastle – have been recorded since the Government asked people to stay at home on Monday, March 23.

Children have been seen on a railway gantry, walking close to a line, one youth ran across tracks to another platform and a young adult used the railway as a shortcut.

A spokesperson for Network Rail, which manages the country's rail infrastructure, said trespassing is illegal, extremely dangerous and can have fatal or life-changing consequences.

Railway lines are used 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Trains travel at high speeds and cannot stop quickly or swerve out of the way.

A deadly 25,000 volts run through the overhead wires, which are used to power some trains and equipment is always on, even when there are no trains around.

Almost half of the trespass incidents recorded since lockdown in the region have involved children or young people.

Network Rail’s team of community safety managers visit schools across the region and engage with communities to raise awareness of the dangers of trespassing, but many events have been cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions.

Dawn Sweeting, community safety manager for Network Rail, said: “These trespass incidents in the North-East are shocking, and show many people are oblivious to the dangers they are putting themselves, their friends or their loved ones in.

“It’s never safe to hang around on the railway or use it to take shortcuts, but sadly too many people ignore the warning signs and take risks that have resulted in tragic consequences.

“We’ve seen a worrying number of incidents at a time when people should be following Government guidelines and staying at home where possible. We are urging people to stay safe and stay off the tracks.”

British Transport Police Superintendent Alison Evans said: “Your safety is our number one priority, and we are continuing to proactively patrol the thousands of miles of railway across the country.

“The railway is an extremely hazardous place, and trespass incidents like these can quite easily lead to death or catastrophic injuries.

"I’d urge parents and carers who live in the area to check where their children are playing and speak to them about the risks of the railway, so they understand that everyone loses when they step on the track.”