Watch: 'Railway trespassing is dicing with death' warning to Shropshire youngsters

The number of people venturing onto railway lines increases in summer and British Transport Police has said it could lead to loss of life.

In Shrewsbury the number of trespasses onto railway lines during the summer months rose from 16 in 2014 to 18 in 2015.

Longer evenings, coupled with the start of the holidays, spell danger for Britain's youth as statistics show young people are twice as likely to trespass at this time of year than in the winter.

Over the past 10 years, almost 170 young people in the UK have lost their lives after trespassing on the railway.

The data shows that just under half of those killed are under the age of 25.

Tracey Young, community safety manager for Network Rail Wales, which covers Shrewsbury, said: "We are urging parents to remind their children that if they are on the railway, they are on dangerous ground.

"It may seem like a good idea to take a short-cut, or like fun to play on the tracks, but this is not only illegal, it is also dangerous.

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

"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 that exist.

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

Nationally, about 72 per cent of all trespassers who died over the last 10 years were struck by a train and another 17 per cent were electrocuted. The others fell from structures or trains.

In response to the seasonal surge in incidents, officers from British Transport Police are stepping up patrols across the region.

Inspector Mike Edwards said: "The last thing our officers want to do is to tell a parent their child has been killed or seriously injured.

"We're doing all we can to keep young people 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."