RAIL bosses have issued a warning to youngsters trespassing on the railway line at Grange-over-Sands that there could be ‘fatal consequences’.

Children and teenagers using sports facilities close to the tracks have ripped holes in the existing fence so they can run onto the Furness Line to retrieve balls, prompting warnings from both the town council and Network Rail.

“Since a new sports facility was built on land adjacent to the railway in Grange, there has been an increase in trespass incidents where young people have been retrieving balls from the tracks,” explained a Network Rail spokesman.

“Trespassing on the railway is a serious issue with potentially fatal consequences and we do a lot of work to educate communities, and young people in particular, about the dangers.”

Both groups say they are now looking at installing new fencing, which will be paid for by Network Rail.

There is also a possibility that more will be done within schools to educate youngsters about the dangers of walking on the line.

“There’s a seven foot wire fence between the courts and the train track and children are tearing holes in the fence to gain access,” said Viv Tunnadine, clerk of Grange Town Council.

“That’s the issue for us anyway.”