Parents of 11-year-old electrocuted at Northamptonshire freight terminal launch harrowing rail safety film

The parents of an 11-year-old Northamptonshire schoolboy who was electrocuted by railway power cables have helped launch a harrowing safety film as part of a hard-hitting campaign.

Harrison’s Story tells the story of Harrison Ballantyne who died after straying into a freight depot near Daventry and climbing over a fence onto a freight wagon to retrieve a lost football on the way home from Guilsborough School with five friends.

He was hit by 25,000 volts of electricity.

The film shows Harrison — played by an actor — on the fateful day in June 2017.

His parents launched the Harrison Ballantyne Foundation dedicated to raising awareness of the dangers of railway.

Harrison’s mum Liz Ballantyne said: “I had never realised that I needed to educate my children about the dangers of the railway as I never realised how close the railway was.

“The devastation that this has caused is immense and talking about it is very painful, but if I’m able to share Harrison’s story with as many people as I can, in the hope that it might save someone else from being injured or killed, then that’s what I’ll do.”

Drew Ballantyne Harrison’s father said: “Harrison didn’t touch the overhead power cables on that day.

“I didn’t know that electricity could jump and arc, and I doubt that he did either.

“We don’t want another family to experience what we have been through.”

Daventry International Rail Fraight Terminal operator, WH Malcolm, was fined £6.5 million after being found guilty of negligence by a jury at Northampton Crown Court last year.

The court heard Harrison and his friends had been able to climb over a wooden fence next to a bridleway between Crick and Kilsby.

Harrison’s Story is part of the You vs Train campaign, which aims to educate people about the dangers, both obvious and hidden, that are present on the railway and in doing so, deter trespassing.

Harrison’s Story will be pushed out across social media and used as part of the rail industry’s school’s engagement programme as part of the You vs Train campaign led by Network Rail and British Transport Police.

Trespass is a huge problem on the railway with thousands of incidents recorded each year.

Latest figures show that there were 19,408 trespass incidents on the British rail network in the 12 months to April 2022, the highest number recorded for five years. One quarter of all those incidents were involved young people under the age of 18.

Robert Wainwright Network Rail head of public safety said: “Harrison’s Story is a tragic reminder of why it is vitally important that we all know about rail safety and the devastating potential impact that trespass can have, not only on the trespasser but also on their friends, family and the wider community.

“The railway is full of danger, both obvious and hidden, and that danger is ever present as the electricity on the railway is always turned on. I urge people to watch this film, understand the risks, make the right decisions and stay away from the railway lines. Help us to keep you and your loved ones safe.”