Media centre

Tuesday 10 Jul 2007

WORTHING SET TO GET THE NO MESSIN' MESSAGE

Region & Route:

| Southern

Young people in Worthing will have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of free activities as part of Network Rail's No Messin' Live! summer campaign. The event, at Worthing Leisure Centre, aims to raise awareness of railway safety amongst young people by giving them ideas about positive ways to spend their time, rather than play on the railway. Activities available include surf simulators, DJ skills, climbing walls and basketball. The event is free for all young people aged between 9-16 years old. Fiona Taylor, Network Rail Route Director, said: "The Worthing area is a hotspot for rail crime, so it is important that young people are aware of the dangers of hanging around or playing on the railway. One of the main dangers, which should never be forgotten, is that there are 750 volts of electricity running along the live rail and that the rail is live 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. “Many of the people who use the railway as a playground do so because they think they’ve nothing else to do. No Messin' Live! aims to get young people interested in different activities and encourages them to try something new. By doing so, we hope to make them think twice about playing on the railway, and avoiding potentially life threatening situations." Twelve No Messin' Live! events are taking place throughout the summer holidays across the UK. They are backed by boxing hero Amir Khan who will launch the campaign on 24th July in London. Says Amir Khan: "There's no excuse for mucking about on train tracks. You may think you're clever and fast but a train is quicker and what's clever about getting yourself killed? No Messin' Live! is a great way of finding a better way to spend your time, whether it's trying out new sports, like boxing, or skills such as mixing and having a laugh with your mates too." The No Messin' campaign isn't just for the holidays. Network Rail has a team of dedicated Railway Crime Education Managers working closely with other parts of the railway industry, offering railway safety information and visiting schools, young offending teams, youth clubs and local authorities throughout the UK.