SIXTH-formers are to be paid to "police" younger children on a troubled school run.

The teenagers will get £5 an hour, the same as school midday supervisors, to keep an eye on other pupils on train journeys in the Esk Valley.

The pioneering move is the latest in a bid to solve continuing problems with the Arriva service from moorland villages to schools in Whitby.

In recent months, there have been complaints of children being herded like cattle into cramped carriages.

On one return journey, a group of youngsters even stood in the driver's cab.

Users from villages such as Castleton and Danby claim trains often miss or are late and that too often there are only two carriages instead of an agreed three.

But the service also attracted positive publicity when children were provided with lap-top computers so they could work as they travelled.

The prefect scheme is being introduced partly to make the most of this "homework train."

North Yorkshire County Council will foot the bill.

News of the scheme emerged at a meeting at Eskdale school, held to thrash out recurring problems with transport.

Danby Parish Council chairman Coun Herbert Tindall and Coun Rita Rudsdale were there, with Arriva representatives.

Arriva said measures had been put in place to try to solve the problems and that three carriages had run every day since November 7.

But a company spokesman added that because maintenance was handled in Leeds, this was not always possible.

An alternative of bussing children to and from school was put forward, but Coun Rudsdale told last week's meeting of the parish council: "This is not workable."

Arriva also said some guards might be sent on customer care courses.

Eskdale school head teacher Mr David Bradley said the prefects would come from Whitby community college, but would probably have been to Eskdale as 11 to 14-year olds.

"We want to make sure the children behave properly as they go to and from school," he said. "We are also keen to ensure the journey is profitable in that they use the train time to study."

Mr Bradley said the schools had £15,000 of funding for lap-tops and study support tutors for the trains on three evenings a week.

"It is hoped to have the sixth-formers most evenings to act as the eyes and ears of senior staff at both schools so we can see who lets us down and how they can be dealt with," he said.

"We have had problems with Arriva and we are trying to show that we will do all we can to improve our side of the situation.

"It would be great if they could do the same."

The posts will be advertised in January and by the end of that month it is hoped to have three prefects operating.

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