HUNDREDS of youngsters tried out activities as a summer roadshow rolled into a North-East town.

More than 600 children and teenagers took part in a host of sporting and fun activities during day one of the two-day No Messin' event, in Darlington.

No Messin' is designed to teach young people about railway safety while promoting positive alternative activities.

Youngsters were given T-shirts, hats, bags and sweatshirts with the No Messin' logo as they moved around activities in the Market Place and Dolphin Centre.

They were asked to answer questions on rail safety as they competed to win prizes.

Darlington was one of four locations selected across the country by Network Rail, because the town is a rail crime hotspot.

Last year, it was the worst place in the country for vandalism and one of the worst for trespassing.

But yesterday, as 600 young people enjoyed a climbing wall, skatepark, wrestling, martial arts, DJ workshops and more, the British Transport Police said it had been a very quiet day on the tracks.

PC John Dunn, said there had only been one reported incident in the region - an adult trespassing on tracks in Bedlington, Northumberland.

"The Darlington and Middlesbrough areas are renowned for having big problems as the railway line runs through a lot of estates. The event went really well," he said.

Vicki Smith, of Network Rail, said: "Trespassing and vandalism costs the rail industry around £246m a year.

"The idea is to teach young people about the dangers of messing around on railway lines.

"The children here have all been asking if we are coming back next year."

The No Messin' Live roadshow continues today, from 10am to 4pm in the centre of Darlington.

All the events on offer yesterday will be available again. In addition, there will be basketball and netball.

The Northern Echo has been working with Network Rail on the No Messin' campaign following the deaths of two Darlington teenagers on tracks in the town in March.