A train struck a shopping trolley believed to be deliberately placed on the rail line in Mansfield. British Transport Police (BTP) is appealing for information. BTP PC Richard Bailey, investigating officer, said how the train struck the trolley on Wednesday, 1 February:
“The incident happened close to the footbridge next to Princes Street, Mansfield, and it’s believed those responsible threw the trolley on to the line sometime between 9.40pm and 10.10pm.
“The Worksop to Nottingham service which struck the trolley wasn’t badly damaged however the removal of the trolley from the track caused unnecessary delays.”
Officers are conducting several lines of enquiry including house to house visits in the local area and advising residents of the dangers of this type of malicious crime.
PC Bailey added: “This mindless act of vandalism could have been a lot worse, causing injuries or even worse.
“Although this may seem like fun to those who continue to play, what they don’t realise are the dangerous implications of this.
“Behaviour like this is incredibly risky and can result in dire consequences. The railway is an extremely dangerous environment that should never be considered as somewhere to hang out.”
Richard Pedley, Community Safety Manager for Network Rail, added: “Actions like these are totally reckless. The railway is a potentially dangerous environment for anyone who is not trained to be there. Passengers on the train could have been injured and were delayed and inconvenienced through this thoughtless behaviour.
“We work closely with local communities to address anti-social behaviour such as this and to stress its potentially life-threatening consequences.”
