Media centre

Wednesday 7 Nov 2007

HORNETS HELP TO KICK OUT RAIL CRIME

Region & Route:

| Southern

This Saturday Network Rail and Watford FC will be hoping to kick rail crime off the park with a rail safety awareness day at Vicarage Road Stadium. Every year hundreds of people are injured or even killed because of trespass and vandalism on the railway. The Championship side is working in partnership with Network Rail's No Messin' campaign to raise understanding among young people about the dangers of railway crime and encourages them to get involved in more positive and fun activities such as football instead of risking their lives on the railway. At Saturday's game, Network Rail will be presenting the club with a 'big cheque' for £10,000 to help fund joint activities such as estates-based football coaching and a schools tournament where players will work with children to develop their football skills as well as getting over important rail safety messages. Young visitors to the game will also be able take home some No Messin' goodies and everyone will see and hear the rail safety messages on the screens and tannoys. Martin Gallagher, Head of Rail Crime Education for Network Rail said: "It's extremely important to get across to young people that the railway is not a playground and that there is very real risk of injury or worse to those mucking around on the tracks. "We’re delighted to team up with Watford FC to get young people involved in football and keep them away from the railway. In addition, if the 15,000 or so fans at the game can spread the No Messin' word to their friends and families, we'll go a long way to preventing pointless tragedies in the future." Gary Clifford, Watford FC's project co-ordinator, said: "Watford's CSE Trust is again pleased to be able to work in partnership with Network Rail to deliver such an important project in our community.

"The rail safety awareness day is an important part of our overall scheme, designed to highlight the very real dangers of railways. As we ask every child that we work with, wouldn't you rather be playing football with your friends than putting yourself in danger?"

This is Network Rail’s 6th year of working with Watford FC, where everyone from backroom staff to players, and of course the fans, work together to help raise awareness of the dangers of railway crime. Did you know…? • Trains travel at up to 125mph and can take the length of 20 football pitches to stop! • Up to 60 people are killed on the railway each year by taking short cuts or messing around on the tracks! • It takes up to 25,000 volts of electricity to power trains through the rails and overhead lines. It’s always switched on and can even jump through the air to get to you. If you get too close it can kill – you don’t even have to touch anything to get killed!