HAVING read last week's edition and the story regarding the railway safety signal I wish to bring it to the attention of local Stoke Prior parents that this statment is actually incorrect with a view to Stoke Prior railway safety.
This stretch of railway may not be covered by Central Trains - I am not absolutely sure, but over the previous three years we have made numerous complaints to the police of children tresspassing on both railway lines.
Children as young as six play 'chicken' with the high-speed trains and there are not just boys taking this exceptional risk with their lives.
This might be as a game or maybe taking short-cuts to other areas of the village. On ocasions we see up to ten children at a time running across the lines and playing in the storm tunnels which have been known to flash flood and cause deaths.
I really cannot believe that Stoke residents are aware that there youngsters
are playing on the railway or in the storm drains. It becomes more common
during the hotter sunnier periods, especially during the school holidays.
I don't wish to have on my conscience the death of one or more children, so we
report them everytime. We are not being spoil-sports or trying to ruin the
children's fun but I do not think they realise how close to death they
really are.
In the last three years, however, the police have only responded to the reports three out of ten times.
Stoke residents... Do you know where your children are on the hot summer days?
I really do not want to be the one to tell you that I was the last person to see your child alive, playing on the railway line.
On a positive note we have not had to make any reports, as yet, this summner
holidays and I hope not to have to do so again.
I hope the little girl of approximately seven years of age did learn her lesson last year after stumbling on the track and was narrowly missed by a high speed Virgin Voyager train. We have not seen her on the track again since!
I am glad because I felt physically sick for days afterwards.
Concerned
Stoke Prior
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