POLICE are joining forces with a bus-rail replacement company to crack down on criminals using the North West’s train network.

British Transport Police and First Rail Support (FRS), who oversee rail replacement buses at stations across the region, will jobs" target= "_blank">work together under the banner of FirstWatch.

FRS co-ordinators will act as the eyes and ears of BTP and reporting any suspicious behaviour, or criminal activity, to the police.

Chief Superintendent Peter Holden, area commander for BTP in the North West, said: “The value of good-quality community intelligence cannot be overestimated and this will be beneficial in ensuring we maintain an accurate overview of what is happening across the region’s rail network.

“As well as providing intelligence to the police, the co-ordinators will be ideally placed to assist police in other ways such as keeping a lookout for missing people believed to be on the railways."