A WESTERDALE school boy was injured on an Esk Valley train after apparently intervening in a dispute between younger pupils.

John Lillie, aged 15, needed treatment from ambulance men and was then taken to Whitby hospital on Friday of last week.

A guard on the Arriva train telephoned for an ambulance and Whitby hospital confirmed the pupil was treated for minor injuries then discharged.

He is a student at Whitby community college but yesterday it was not known whether the younger pupils attend the college or another school. Whitby community college's head teacher was away and no-one else was available for comment.

Arriva issued a statement which read: "We are pleased that our conductor was able to help the young man who suffered an injury on the train. An ambulance was called and the young man was escorted to hospital, where he was treated for his injury."

The incident followed recently-announced plans to pay Whitby college sixth formers to act as travelling prefects on the school trains.

They could be paid £5 per hour to police younger pupils travelling to the collage or Eskdale school from Commondale, Castleton, Danby, Lealholm and Glaisdale stations.

The Arriva statement confirmed the prefect scheme was still proposed. It said there was one guard on the train - the same allocation as non-school trains of its size.

Misbehaviour by some children on the Esk Valley trains has been a long-running problem. But there have also been complaints against Arriva about lateness and overcrowding.