Network Rail has warned trespassers and vandals are unnecessarily risking their lives.

The company made the announcement in the wake of a series of incidents in the West Midlands, including one of cable theft in Walsall. It stated there have been four examples of vandalism and trespass in the area over the last two weeks alone.

Extra patrols have been deployed in the area to ensure more disturbances do not occur, while the organisation has offered a £1,000 reward to anybody who has information which leads to a successful prosecution. 

Liam Sumpter, area director for Network Rail, commented: "Trespass, vandalism and metal theft on the railway not only cause huge amounts of disruption to passengers but also pose a significant risk to lives of those committing the crimes."

The company advised it would continue to work with suppliers to ensure metals were more difficult to steal and easier to be identified. It welcomed  the introduction of last year's legislation which forced anybody selling scrap to show clear identification and banned the use of cash payments.