TRESPASSERS and vandals who endanger lives by messing around on railway lines will have nowhere to hide this summer - as the police launch a crackdown.

Rail bosses hope by stepping up uniformed and plain-clothes patrols, they will catch and prosecute more offenders and prevent further deaths on North-East railway lines.

Every year, as the summer holidays begin, the number of railway crimes soar.

In March, on the first day of the Easter school holidays, Lee Mullis, 14, and Stuart Adams, 15, were killed while trespassing on tracks at the Five Arches Bridge, in Darlington.

In the wake of their deaths, it emerged Darlington was the worst place in the country for rail vandalism and one of the worst for trespassing last year.

The tragedy led The Northern Echo to launch its No Messin' campaign in conjunction with Network Rail, to highlight the dangers of rail crime and promote positive alternative activities.

Darlington is among a handful of places in the North-East which have been identified as trouble hotspots - and will be patrolled by the British Transport Police (BTP) over the summer holidays.

Stockton, Middlesbrough, Marton, Hartlepool, Billingham, Eaglescliffe and Thornaby have also been identified as trouble spots.

PC Geoff Ellis, of the BTP, in Middlesbrough, warned that up to 60 people a year are killed while trespassing on railways across the country - and added trespassers risked fines of up to £1,000.

He said: "If we can arrest them, they will be arrested. Adults will be interviewed and juveniles will be taken home and interviewed in the presence of their parents. We will prosecute where we can."

He said overhead lines carried 25,000 volts - easily enough to kill - and warned people could be shocked without even making contact as electricity could jump.

PC Ellis has also warned youngsters not to take part in a craze called "train surfing".

This involves climbing on a train as it leaves a station and riding along the platform, before jumping off.

PC Ellis said: "This has happened on the Darlington to Saltburn line where there are no overhead power lines. It is very dangerous as they could easily slip off."

Anyone who witnesses crime on the railway, or who has been a victim, is asked to contact the BTP on 0800 405040.

* Earlier this month, a youth sneaked on to tracks at Middlesbrough station and planted a road traffic sign on the railway line. He was caught and has been charged with the offence.

Four weeks ago, children crawled under the platform at Marton in Middlesbrough, before reappearing and throwing stones at a train, breaking a window.