A GROUP of ramblers were warned by police after taking a stroll along a railway line used by freight trains.
The 30 walkers were spotted by a shocked member of the public walking on the line in Fife last week.
British Transport Police were called in and gave the walkers, who were using a branch line between Methil and Earlseat, a severe ticking off.
A spokesman for the force confirmed that freight trains still occasionally run on the track.
Constable Stuart Cowan of BTP said: “I don’t want to spoil anyone’s pleasure but I do want to remind people that trespassing on the railway line remains an offence.”
A Network Rail spokesman said: “Trespassing on the railway is not only a criminal offence, it can be extremely dangerous. Even lines which look disused can be brought back into operation without warning.
“Walkers could easily find themselves in the path of a train, even on a line they believe to be closed.”
But Dave Morris, director of Ramblers Scotland, suggested it was up to Network Rail to protect walkers.
He said: “If it does appear that this line is non operational for a very long period of time then Network Rail need to operate on the basis there would be a probability that people for a variety of reasons would chose to walk on that line.
“If a train drove down the line anyone driving the train would need to be aware of the possibility of people walking down the line.”
