YOUNG vandals are putting lives at risk by placing manhole covers on a railway line in a potentially lethal "game".

Police were alerted to the danger when a driver saw covers lying on the line near Daisy Hill station on Thursday.

The driver of the 3.35pm Rochdale to Southport service managed to stop the train before it hit the two cast iron covers.

Police vowed today to get tough with louts who risk lives at railway trouble hotspots across Bolton where trains are regularly pelted with stones and items are left on the line.

Insp Graham Bamford, of British Transport Police, said: "These children are putting their lives and those of others in danger. Manhole covers could cause serious damage to the underside of a train."

Insp Bamford said four hotspots across Bolton, where trains have been ambushed by stone-throwing youths, would be targeted in the coming months.

Farnworth, Kearsley and Moses Gate stations, as well as areas around Bolton station, have been singled out by rail bosses after a string of incidents.

Motorbike-based patrols will be on stand-by across Greater Manchester to allow police to respond quickly to reports of stone-throwing or objects being placed on the line.

Police will also use the force helicopter over the four known hotspots during the summer to catch vandals on camera.

Insp Bamford said: "They are the areas where we have seen high rates of vandalism, and particularly stone-throwing incidents. By using motorbikes, we can respond to problems in particular areas much quicker, and hopefully in time to gather evidence at the scene or catch whoever is responsible.

"We would urge anybody who is aware of any form of vandalism on the rail network to contact us immediately."

Insp Bamford said vandals were responsible for a high proportion of delays as well as causing danger.

He said fencing carried out by Network Rail across the North-west had helped to cut incidents of vandalism in the last year.

Cllr David Wilkinson, who represents the Westhoughton South ward where the covers were left on the line, said: "Anyone with information should come forward to get these kids dealt with as quickly as possible.

"There is always the danger that they could derail a train by putting anything on the line and the consequences could be very serious.

"I hope that when the culprits are caught, they are given the most severe punishment available to the courts."

Anyone who spots rail trespassers or vandals is asked to British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.