Dangerous attacks on trains down almost 90 per cent, says Northern

This new figure, down from 69, shows there were just eight incidents in the last year, which Northern said was a success of their CCTV.

The statistics relate to trains being struck by objects thrown from bridges, railway embankments and stations or those which collide with ‘substantial items’ deliberately placed on the track.

Earlier this year, Northern added a further 600 new CCTV cameras to the more than 1,000 that monitor its station estate.

These were in addition to the 7,000 new cameras fitted on-board its fleet of trains in 2022, footage from which can be viewed by British Transport Police in real-time.

The eight suspicious incidents recorded this year were:

•             A service from Manchester Piccadilly to Rose Hill Marple that was struck by stones thrown at Hyde North station

•             A service from Leeds to Skipton that was targeted with a brick at Kirkstall Forge station

•             A service from Clitheroe to Rochdale that collided with a zimmer frame placed on the tracks at Hall 'i' th' Wood

•             A service from Warrington Central to Liverpool Lime Street that hit a chair placed on the tracks at Widnes

•             A service outbound from Blackpool North that collided with a drainpipe thrown onto the track

•             A service from York to Leeds that struck an unknown object at Marston Moor

•             A service from Southport to Manchester Oxford Road that struck an unknown object at Patricroft

•             A service from Leeds to Bradford Forster Square that was targeted with pellets fired from an air gun.

Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said: “Each and every incident recorded represents a serious danger to the passengers and train crew involved and we appeal to anyone involved in this criminal activity to stop.

“Fortunately, the appetite for committing these senseless acts is clearly in decline – not least of all because the chance of being ‘caught on camera’ is now far greater.

“That said, we certainly won’t be resting on our laurels.

“These statistics should stand at zero and we will continue to work with community partners across the region and our colleagues at Network Rail to identify the perpetrators and support British Transport Police with any prosecutions brought before the courts.”