A RAIL operator has appointed a new officer to get the message across to youngsters to stay away from danger and keep off the tracks.

Nexus, which operates the Tyne and Wear Metro, has appointed Rebecca Ditchburn as its schools and community liaison officer.

The 26-year-old, from Walker, Newcastle, will visit scores of schools to give rail safety presentations.

She will also work with the police, youth offending teams and other agencies to highlight the dangers of trespassing on lines.

The role mirrors the aims of The Northern Echo's No Messin' campaign, which was launched last year after two teenagers died on a railway line at the Five Arches Bridge, in Darlington.

Ms Ditchburn said: "I am really looking forward to getting started. It is a new environment and a totally new challenge for me."

Before she joined Nexus, Ms Ditchburn studied health and social care at Newcastle College and worked at a nursery in France.

She said: "The experience I gained from working with the children will stand me in good stead for my new job."