Kids dice with death on train tracks (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Kids dice with death on train tracks

TEENAGERS are putting their lives at risk by playing on train tracks and climbing on the roof at Kemble Station.

Station users have reported seeing youngsters crossing train lines, apparently as a short cut across the track.

Tony Owen lives in Kemble. He witnessed three boys walk onto the line at the station as he waited for a train.

He said: "Three teenagers, about 12 or 13 years old, came onto the platform from the car park side. They walked straight onto the platform edge, crossed down onto the tracks, across the line and up onto platform two."

"I thought they are young fools, it's down right dangerous, they didn't even pause to see if a train was coming."

Mr Owen said the announcement of the next train's arrival had already been called but the teenagers moved across the train lines so quickly it is unlikely they heard it.

Police Spokesperson Matt Ford had a warning for the youngsters involved: "Railway stations and railway lines can be extremely dangerous places. This is stupid and dangerous and they are putting their lives at risk."

The station has also been targeted by vandals who sprayed graffiti on to the Grade 1 listed building.

The majority of the graffiti was inside the station buildings but the offenders also climbed onto the station roof to 'tag' a glass roof.

PC Alan Fishpool of British Transport Police said the fact the offenders had climbed onto the station roof was very dangerous.

He said: "We had several incidents of graffiti which cost quite a bit to clean up. We are currently investigating it with Gloucestershire Police.

"We have had names supplied but investigations are ongoing. We have had reports of them on the tracks and riding bikes on the platform but we need people to come forward and report them."

He admitted there is an issue at Kemble because the vandals can get on to the station roof quite easily.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "As the infrastructure owner, we have a responsibility to spread the message that the railway can be a dangerous place. You wouldn't try to use a motorway as a short cut or a place to hang out - so why the railway?"

Kemble Station does have CCTV cameras in place but they do not cover the area which were subject to the graffiti attack however the system is being updated

David Ball, vice chairman of Kemble Parish Council said: "It's a concern that this sort of thing is able to happen and there is perhaps no one at the station to see it happening and deal with it. If the nearest authority is Gloucester they are not going to know about it until after the event. Maybe if the station was manned all the time they might be able to stop it."

- Gloucestershire Police issued warnings about playing on train tracks in March after two boys were caught filming themselves playing chicken on tracks outside Gloucester.