EXTRA British Transport Police patrols are in place on East Lancashire’s railway lines to deter a rise in the number of incidents of trespass during the school holidays.

Every summer, youngsters are lured to the railway oblivious to the risks involved with a recent fatality in Birmingham and major delays last month after after six young men halted a train in Burnley.

BTP’s Inspector Neil Hubbs, responsible for policing East Lancashire’s rail network, said as schools break up each July the organisation records a spike in trespass by children in East Lancashire..

Officers have been visiting schools to warn youngsters and are now calling on parents and guardians to do the same.

Insp Hubbs said: “Playing near the railway is literally dicing with death.

“We need parents to sit down with their children and warn them about the dangers.

“There are plenty of safe places to play during the holidays but the railway is not one of them.”