Metro security stepped up amid bank holiday weekend warning

Extra security staff have been drafted in to tackle potential anti-social behaviour on the Tyne and Wear Metro.

It comes as thousands of people are expected to flock to the coast over the bank holiday weekend.

Over the Easter school holidays a security guard was attacked and a carriage window smashed in disorder at Tynemouth station.

Metro operator Nexus warned parents to know where their children were "to keep them out of trouble".

Trains were halted from stopping at Tynemouth station on 13 April after disorder broke out, involving groups of up to 30 teenagers.

Six teenage girls were removed from a train and young people were dispersed from the area.

The extra 24 security staff will work alongside Northumbria Police, who had also stepped up patrols "for the foreseeable future".

Huw Lewis, from Metro operator Nexus, told BBC Radio Newcastle security had been fixed at Tynemouth since the earlier incidents, which had helped.

"It's totally unacceptable to see that kind of behaviour," he said.

"It's not just Metro, this is something that I think people would know has become more of a problem in town and city centres, around local shops, we know the fire and ambulance services are very concerned about it - so it's about all working together.

"We need parents to know where their children are and to ask what they are doing and just to keep them out of trouble."

In November families of youths who caused trouble on the Metro system were warned they faced losing their council homes through eviction.

Officers said the main culprits were aged 14 and 15.

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