YOUTHS are being told to think twice before risking their lives on the railway track.

Train surfing, stone throwing, playing chicken and tresspassing are among the crimes commited by children and young adults in South Wales.

The warning comes as new figures show people under the age of 20 cause most railway incidents in Newport and other parts of Gwent.

Rail chiefs launched a campaign to urge children, teenagers and young adults to keep well away from the line.

Between January and July, 30 recorded railway crimes occured within Newport, of which young people caused 21.

In Abergavenny six incidents took place over the same period. All of them were by young people.

Altogether 500 railway crimes were committed by youngsters in South Wales, with incidents causing 8,000 minutes of delay on the railway UK wide.

Earlier this month in South Wales, a teenager broke his legs after jumping off a bridge while attempting to train surf.

In another incident, a train nearly hit three teenagers as they played chicken on a railway track.

Yesterday Network Rail and the British Transport Police launched the No Messin’ Live campaign in Cardiff Bay, aimed at warning young people away from railway crime.

It is hoped young people will pursue new interests during the break - rather than cause disruption for hundreds of passengers.

Network Rail’s Alan Milne said young people tend to look for something to fill their free time during the school holidays.

He said: “We will always see an increase in rail crimes during these periods.

“Ultimately we hope to use this campaign to make young people think twice about what they’re doing and save lives.”

In an effort to curb railway trespass and vandalism, Newtwork Rail is using a helicopter to patrol the rail network across South Wales.