Playing a deadly game; Reckless children pose for pictures on railway tracks.

Byline: martin fricker

FOOLHARDY youngsters sit and chat on a railway level crossing, after "ignoring" warning signs at a gate.

Photos showed them playing and posing on tracks where trains pass at 60mph.

Network Rail and British Transport Police released the snaps to warn families about the dangers of crossings. In one, a girl reclines on sleepers.

In another, a lad lies stretched over them.

Network Rail's Vicki Beadle said the group "chose to ignore" signs and opened a gate to access tracks at Wing, Rutland, on an East Midlands Trains line between Kettering and Melton Mowbray.

She said: "The railway isn't a playground.

We urge parents to speak to children about how to keep safe when using the railway.

"A split-second decision can have lifechanging consequences, not only for those involved but also family and rail workers."

Network Rail said more than 2,000 incidents have involved children on crossings in the past five years.

BTP said: "We can't stress enough the risk you take when you step on to the line."

speed Train at Kettering station martin.fricker@mirror.co.uk

CAPTION(S):

speed Train at Kettering station

careless Young boy lies streched out on sleepers