Warning issued over trespassing on railway after incidents in South Yorkshire

Trespassers have been spotted on lines across the region, including in Sheffield, Leeds, Doncaster, Rotherham and Wakefield.

A man was caught jumping over a fence onto the railway with his daughter to collect firewood, four quad bikes were seen on the railway,

children were seen dangling items from a bridge over the tracks and a man entered the railway to look for his dog.

Trespassing on the railway illegal and Network Rail is also warning of the dangers the tracks and overhead cables pose.

Dawn Sweeting, Community Safety Manager for Network Rail, said: “These trespass incidents in Yorkshire are shocking, and show many people are oblivious to the dangers they are putting themselves, their friends or their loved ones in.

“It’s never safe to hang around on the railway or use it to take shortcuts, but sadly too many people ignore the warning signs and take risks that have resulted in tragic consequences.

“We’ve seen a worrying number of incidents at a time when people should be following government guidelines and staying at home where possible. We are urging people to stay safe and stay off the tracks.”

Superintendent Alison Evans, of British Transport Police, said: “The railway is an extremely hazardous place, and trespass incidents like these can quite easily lead to death or catastrophic injuries.”