Two young missing girls from Blackpool were able to safely return home thanks to the work of a “quick-thinking” train conductor.
Conductor Paul Wilkinson – who has worked for Northern for nearly 16 years – was working onboard a service from Blackpool North to York one evening last week (22 March) when he sensed that “something wasn’t quite right” with two of the passengers.
After his instincts kicked-in, Paul approached the passengers – who where two teenage girls under the age of 16 – and was eventually able to ascertain that they had, in their words, “run away from home”.
Paul then immediately alerted British Transport Police (BTP) to the situation.
BTP then intercepted the train at Leeds station after Paul’s “quick-thinking” actions, before taking the girls into their duty of care, and reuniting them with their families.
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Northern train conductor helps two young missing girls safely return home / Credit: Northern
Inspector Pete Wilcock from the British Transport Police praised Paul for being tuned-in to spotting the signs of children who are “vulnerable or at risk”.
He explained: “As guardians of the railway, we are constantly working with and training rail staff on how to look beyond the obvious and spot the signs of children who are vulnerable or at risk. And we continue to work together, sharing intelligence and knowledge, to create a network of people who can understand, identify and help support and safeguard children.
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“That’s exactly what Paul did.
“Thanks to his quick thinking the girls were returned home once safeguarding checks had been completed.”
This incident comes after Northern teamed up with charity Railway Children back in 2022, and began the process of training its 7,000-strong workforce in how to spot vulnerable people on the railway and have the confidence to intervene.
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He’s been praised for his “quick-thinking” actions / Credit: Northern
Paul urged people to “always trust your instincts” in these situations.
“I’ve worked on the railway for nearly 16 years and you meet hundreds if not thousands of customers every day, but through experience and training you can feel when something isn’t quite right, and you know that you need to call BTP,” Paul admitted after the incident.
Northern’s Regional Director Chris Jackson also said he “applauds” Paul’s actions, adding that: “He responded as any one of our staff would do when getting the sense that something wasn’t quite right.
“I’m glad these young girls were found and returned home.”
Featured Image – Northern
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‘Groundbreaking’ new police team launches on Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world
Emily Sergeant
A ‘groundbreaking’ new policing model aimed at making the Bee Network one of the safest public transport networks in the world has launched.
Described as being ‘pioneering’, the first-of-its-kind approach – named the Transport Policing and Crime Command (TPACC) – will bring Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) even closer together to tackle crime, antisocial behaviour, and safety issues across the region’s transport network.
So, how will it work then? Well, according to TfGM, the command will ‘effectively establish’ the Bee Network as GMP’s eleventh policing district.
It will bring together up to 300 personnel, including new police officers, who are all involved in keeping the network safe and providing greater reassurance to passengers travelling across the region.
Efforts to keep passengers safe on buses, trams, active travel routes, and roads across Greater Manchester will be ‘strengthened’ through the new team – improving co-ordination in response to incidents, and helping to reassure communities.
A ‘groundbreaking’ new police team has launched on the Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world / Credit: TfGM
The new team will also incorporate the existing Roads Policing Unit within GMP that includes specialist functions such as the Central Ticket Office, the Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit, the motorbike unit, the Commercial Vehicle Unit, the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, and more.
Overall, the key focus of TPACC is to:
Increase public confidence on safety across the transport network
Reduce violence, antisocial behaviour and criminality across the transport network
Increase the number of users of the Bee Network across Greater Manchester
The launch of TPACC is said to represents ‘the next phase’ of Greater Manchester’s commitment to creating a ‘safer, more secure, and more welcoming’ transport network for everyone who lives, works, and travels across the region.
“I want a world-class Bee Network where everyone feels safe,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“Our new dedicated transport policing command will bring together more than 300 police and safety officers, with high-profile patrols across our roads and the Bee Network. It means a stronger presence in our communities and faster action when people need help.
“TPACC will also crack down on dangerous driving to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads, which have devastating consequences for families and communities.”
Featured Image – TfGM
News
Two arrested after assaulting and burgling 90-year-old woman in Stockport suburb
Emily Sergeant
Two people have been arrested following reports of an assault and burglary at a 90-year-old woman’s home in a Stockport suburb.
While en-route to the incident in Heald Green – which was reported to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) at around 2:30am on 29 October – officers located the victim’s vehicle being driven by an unknown man.
The stolen vehicle made off from police before it lost control, went up a grass verge, and collided with a stationary vehicle.
Police confirmed that a white British man, aged 41, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of a burglary and serious assault, while a white British woman, aged 47, was also later arrested on suspicion of burglary and serious assault – with both remaining in custody for questioning.
The victim, a 90-year-old woman, was taken to hospital for treatment and is being supported by specialist officers, although luckily, her injuries are not life-threatening.
Enquiries are now ongoing, and officers are working to establish the full circumstances of the shocking incident.
“This was undoubtedly a traumatic experience for the victim, and we have specialist officers supporting her through this investigation,” explained Detective Inspector Craig Turner, from Stockport CID.
“This was a violent burglary and thanks to the brave victim reporting it, our officers made two swift arrests with the suspects taken into police custody to be interviewed.
“We believe this was a targeted attack and there is no wider risk to the community. Extra patrols of officers have been deployed to the area to offer reassurance to members of the community. Please let them know if you have any concerns.
“We are committed to tackling dangerous offenders and keeping our communities safe from harm.”
Emily Sergeant -
30th March 2023 
