THE parents of two schoolboys killed while trespassing on railway tracks yesterday backed a campaign to help prevent a repeat of the tragedy.

The No Messin' campaign - a partnership between The Northern Echo and Network Rail - aims to highlight the dangers of railway crime and promote positive activities for young people across the region.

Stuart Adams, 15, and Lee Mullis, 14, died on Good Friday at the Five Arches Bridge, in Darlington.

In the wake of the tragedy, it emerged that Darlington was the worst place in Britain for railway vandalism last year. The town is also among the worst places for trespassing, according to the Railway Crime Report.

No Messin' is backed by headteachers, Darlington Borough Council, Durham Police, the British Transport Police, Darlington Partnership and community groups.

Yesterday, Trevor Adams, Stuart's father, said: "We don't want to point our fingers, we have to work as a team.

"We now know there is a problem here in Darlington and we want to put it right.

"No one else deserves to go through what we have been through."

Christine Mullis, Lee's mother, said: "We hope this campaign will help to prevent something like this from ever happening again."

After the boys' deaths, youth provision in Darlington was criticised. Last month, inspectors found Darlington council's youth service was inadequate. Council bosses vowed to improve it.

On July 9, The Northern Echo will publish a supplement, highlighting railway dangers and listing hundreds of activities to keep young people busy during the summer holidays.

Anyone organising youth activities in the North-East and North Yorkshire can contact the No Messin' hotline, on (01325) 505022, to be included in the supplement.

Bill Dixon, deputy leader of Darlington council, said: "It is better for young people to be at an organised activity rather than roaming the streets. I urge parents to ensure their children attend these activities and are safe."

Last year, more than 4,400 acts of vandalism and trespass were committed on the railways in Yorkshire, the North-East and on the East Coast Main Line.

Iain Coucher, deputy chief executive of Network Rail, said: "From taking a short cut, or playing chicken, to throwing stones at trains or placing objects on the line, the consequences are potentially fatal.

"Our message is simple: there are many activities out there - messing about on the railway is not one of them."

Darlington MP Alan Milburn said: "The deaths earlier this year were a tragedy.

"As a community, we must do everything we can to prevent anything like that happening again. I applaud the No Messin' campaign."