Transport police are deploying extra officers to combat a deadly craze among children in the North-East. Julia Breen joined them on patrol.

A ROW of children stand on the rail tracks as a high-speed express train hurtles towards them.

Unflinching, the youngsters wait until the very last minute before throwing themselves out of the path of the train, as the driver hits his brakes.

Incidents such as the deadly "chicken" game were among railway crimes being targeted by the British Transport Police in Darlington and Teesside during half- term week, as part of an extensive operation.

Trespassing on the lines, throwing objects at trains and placing manhole covers in the path of oncoming trains are among the incidents carried out by children on the tracks.

In September, an Arriva train was almost derailed after two children put a metal object on the line.

The children were discovered by a transport police officer as they hid at the side of the track, waiting to see the effect their potentially fatal prank would have on the train.

The transport police operation aimed to cut down criminal incidents on the track, targeting adults as well as children.

A high-speed mainline train travelling at 140mph takes a mile- and-a-quarter to stop - with the brakes full on.

PC Graham Adams, of the Cleveland area transport police, said: "I think people don't realise that trains can't swerve or brake like cars - if you don't get out of the way, that is it.

"Kids start off by trespassing on the line, and that leads to them putting objects in front of trains and throwing things.

"The kids like to see what happens when a train goes over an object, but in some circumstances it could bring a train off the tracks or severely damage the wheels."

PC John Dunne said they had given talks at schools close to the train routes in the weeks leading up to the operation.

He said: "It has been pre-emptive really, with extensive school visits.

"We have been relatively quiet this week, I think partly because the kids know that we are operating high-profile patrols.

"Basically, crime statisticians have worked out the areas on the line with the highest number of trespass and obstruction incidents and we are targeting those areas.

"Some of the rail routes in the North-East run through the most deprived estates, where the kids have very little to do, and we are targeting those areas as well."