MORE than 200 people risked their lives trespassing on railway tracks in Merseyside as police figures show incidents are at a five-year high.

The data from British Transport Police shows a 22% rise on the previous year.

The alarming report reveals more than 90 children were caught trespassing by police in the North West - with boys between the ages of 14 to 16 being stopped the most.

In Merseyside 16 young people under the age of 18 walked on the tracks last year with research showing a spike of incidents in school holidays.

Iain McLaren from BTP North West said: “We believe the number of children we encounter trespassing every year is sadly just the tip of the iceberg.

“Every single day we are called to the tracks because a train driver has had to sound their horn or apply their emergency brake in a desperate bid to avoid youths on the line who then run off, seemingly unaware of the danger they have put themselves in.

“We continue to do all we can to keep youngsters safe by patrolling areas where we know they’re likely to trespass and prevent them from doing so.

“However we cover thousands of miles of track and we cannot tackle this issue alone.

“That is why we are urging parents and young people to heed this warning and take a reality check when it comes to trespass.

“It’s not a game - they are real tracks with real trains and real-life consequences.”

A Network Rail spokesman said: “Every April we see a huge rise in the number of people taking a risk on the rail network and it’s worrying that these numbers seem to be going up.

“Britain has the safest railway in Europe but still too many people lose their lives on the tracks.

“The dangers may not always be obvious but the electricity on the railway is always on and trains can travel up to 125 miles per hour, so even if they see you, they can’t stop in time.

“As the railway gets busier and we electrify more lines to improve services, we must work harder to keep young people safe by making them aware of the dangers.

“It may seem harmless to take a shortcut, or fun to play on the tracks but this is not only illegal, it is also very dangerous.

“Taking a short cut or messing around on the tracks can result in serious life-changing injuries or death.”