THE rail industry has teamed up with transport police to launch a pre-emptive strike on railway vandalism in the North-East.

During the half-term holiday, railway operators and the British Transport Police have been targeting the growing number of yobs who throw missiles at trains.

They hope that by highlighting the dangers to young people, they can tackle the trend before someone is seriously hurt or killed.

The crackdown includes awareness initiatives and extra police patrols alongside train tracks and at stations.

In the past six months, railway operator Network Rail and the British Transport Police saw a significant rise in the number of incidents of stones or other missiles being hurled at moving trains.

West Yorkshire emerged as the worst county in the region for missile throwing, with 100 incidents.

Three areas in County Durham were labelled hotspots for missile throwing -Ferryhill, where four incidents were reported, and Darlington and Chester-le-Street, with three cases each.

Most incidents involved youths throwing stones at trains, breaking a window pane on one occasion. And last month, a boy hurled a stone at a signal box, in Shildon, County Durham, smashing the window and hitting a signalman in the face.

Dyan Crowther, Network Rail's route director, said: "The recent increase in incidents of missile throwing is worrying as these individuals are not only putting themselves in grave danger by trespassing on the railway, but are also endangering others who may be hit by debris.

"We would ask parents to ensure they know where their children are during the holidays and that they impress upon them the potential dangers of trespassing on the tracks."

Superintendent Terry Nicholson, from British Transport Police, said: "We work hard to educate children into the dangers and consequences of this type of behaviour on the rail network.

"Our officers undertake regular school visits alongside Network Rail and the train-operating companies to reinforce the message to children and young people that the railway is not a playground."

Anyone with information about a railway crime should call police free on 0800-40-50-40 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.

The Northern Echo supports Network Rail's No Messin' campaign to alert youngsters to the dangers of playing near railways and inform them of opportunities for safe play.