YOU have admire the dogged determination of the protesters in Uppermill who appear to have been proved right in their belief that Network Rail sited a 400-metre long aluminium fence near a grade-II listed railway viaduct in Den Lane in completely the wrong place.

As reported in today’s Oldham Times, teenagers now have gained access to the land behind the fence and are using it to perform daring BMX cycling stunts within yards of where trains are passing between Manchester and Huddersfield.

But Network Rail can’t say that they weren’t warned.

At a meeting three months ago, representatives of the Friends of Saddleworth group, set up to get the fence removed, were told by the nationalised company there was no way the fence would be moved, agreeing only to paint it green to make it less unsightly.

Network Rail than said the fence was there for “safety reasons”. If this is true, then it has failed in its primary function and the company should now bite the bullet, accept they got it wrong, and re-site the fence in the most effective place – which would be right next to the railway line, thereby preventing the youngsters gaining access to the track.

There other disturbing aspects to this case, which may interest those supporters of Labour’s stated policy of renationalising many companies privatised since the 1980s.

Included in them is the fact that despite the protest group’s persistent attempts to communicate with the Network Rail hierarchy, the company’s silence has been deafening.

Moreover, this newspaper’s emailed request for a comment from the company on this issue more than a week ago has been met with similar apparent disdain, as no reply has been forthcoming.

So our message is: Be careful what you wish for Mr Corbyn and co.