Warning of power line danger to kids

Power company chiefs in the North East are urging parents to make sure their children are aware of the dangers posed by the electricity system during the school holidays.

Northern Powergrid, which delivers power to 3.9 million homes and businesses in the region, has produced a digital safety animation film – which has already been seen more than 370,000 times on social media.

The animation encourages people to take a few moments to warn youngsters about the importance of not climbing poles and pylons, going into electricity substations or fishing or flying kites or drones near overhead power lines.

Gareth Pearson, head of health, safety and training at Northern Powergrid, said: “With summer here and youngsters heading out and enjoying the light nights, staying safe remains key. We want children to understand the importance of staying away from power network equipment.

“We’re encouraging parents and guardians to sit down with the young people in their life to watch our animation and chat about the potential hazards and what they should do if they see anything hanging from our power lines or a ball goes into a substation.”

He added: “It takes less than two minutes to view the animation but it could make a real difference in starting an important safety conversation.

"If people spot anything potentially unsafe, they must call us on 105 and speak to our 24-hour team so we can send someone out to help. Doing the right thing will help ensure everyone remains safe and has fun during the holidays.”