Media centre

Friday 23 Jun 2006

MEDIA INVITATION: BOXING HERO AND ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT NO MESSIN’! CAMPAIGN

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Date: Tuesday, 27 June 2006 Time: 2.30pm Location: St Thomas’ Primary School, Molyneux Road, Westhoughton Event: Boxer Amir Khan and cricketer Sajid Mahmood will visit the school to promote Network Rail’s No Messin’! campaign and to talk to the children about how to make the most of their opportunities through sport. Boxing hero Amir Khan and England cricketing international Sajid Mahmood are to visit a Bolton school to promote Network Rail’s No Messin’! campaign and encourage children to use their free time positively. The sportsmen will talk to the children about the dangers of playing on or near railways and encourage them to make the most of their opportunities by taking part in positive activities, like boxing or cricket. The No Messin’! campaign was launched in May this year by Amir and his support has already had a positive effect with a decrease in railway crime across the country. The campaign aims to discourage children from playing on or near to the railway by offering them something positive to do in their local area, like sports or music. Jo Kaye, Area General Manager (Manchester) said: “Network Rail is extremely proud that Amir and Sajid are lending their weight to our campaign. These men are great ambassadors for their sports and communities and we really believe they can help young people to understand the potentially fatal consequences of playing on or near the railway. We urge them to stay away from the track and stay safe.” Railway crime is an ongoing problem for the rail industry. Both trespass and vandalism trends show a strong seasonal cycle with a peak between March and September, when the evenings get lighter and young people are not in school. A high proportion of rail trespass incidents involve young people between the ages of 10 and 16. Approximately 60 people are killed on the railway each year because they are trespassing, and many more are left with horrific burns, scars or lost limbs. During peak periods between 4pm and 8pm in daylight hours, a crime is committed every four and a half minutes on the railway. One in three children also admits to trespassing or vandalising the railway.