VANDALISM and graffiti on the Wiltshire rail network jumped by a third last year, it has been revealed.

New figures show the number of incidents in which police recorded damage to trains, stations, tracks and depots increased from 21 in 2004-5 to 32 in 2005-6.

This comes days after the Adver reported that Network Rail figures showed an increase in trespassing and vandalism on Swindon's railway tracks.

Tory politicians yesterday warned the yobs were putting lives at risk.

Thugs caused 18 acts of vandalism at stations and 10 on railway tracks.

There were three incidents on trains and one which targeted a rail depot.

Last year's figures were only one incident below 2002-3, when new crime recording methods were introduced.

Nationally, yobs carried out 5,291 vandalism attacks in 2002-3 compared to 7,450 last year.

The figures were released in a written answer from the Government to the Conservatives.

Shadow Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: "These are very worrying figures.

"Vandalism disrupts train services, and at worst can even lead to derailments. The Government really must get to grips with the problem.

"We've had promise after promise of action against anti-social behaviour of this kind over the years, but in the end nothing actually seems to happen and the number of incidents seems to rise and rise."

Vandalism has significantly fallen in neighbouring Gloucester-shire, where there were 24 incidents in 2004-5 compared to just eight in 2005-6.

Rail minister Derek Twigg said that a graffiti crackdown launched by British Transport Police in 2003 had doubled the number of spray-paint vandals detected and led to a string of convictions but had also resulted in a 75 per cent rise in offences reported.

Reports has also been driven up by the Home Office's Name That Tag campaign, offering a £500 reward to those prepared to name prolific "taggers".

As previously reported, Network Rail recorded 34 reported incidents on railway lines around Swindon with children accounting for more than half of the 19 people caught trespassing on tracks.

The figures were recorded over a six-month period between November and May 24 this year and included one death, one attempted suicide, four incidents of vandalism and eight incidents of trains being hit by missiles.

Hotspots in the town included Gipsy Lane, South Marston, Swindon station, Rushey Platt, Hay Lane and South Leaze.