A DUTCH rail firm has been slammed over its controversial “fashion line” campaign showing replicas of ripped clothing worn by those hit by trains.

Operator ProRail insist they released the harrowing pictures to encourage young people to act more responsibly around train tracks.

The company told the BBC that the campaign was “necessary” since the number of railway fatalities has almost tripled since 2016.

ProRail say they expected the images to be “divisive” amid a huge backlash within the country including from train driver and the Dutch government.

The campaign features pictures of torn clothes, including ripped shoes, along with the slogan “Victim Fashion, made by accident".

Descriptions of what happened to the victims, who were either injured or killed by trains, accompanies the images.

'UNNECESSARILY SEVERE'
One shows a trainer which has a caption explaining that a 14-year-old girl has been in a coma for a nearly a year because she reached out on to the track to try and pick up her dropped phone.

Another shows an orange dress worn by a teenager who had followed her pals on to the railway despite the barriers being closed.

Those who have criticised the campaign include government ministers and rail workers.

Stientje van Veldhoven., Dutch infrastructure secretary, said the campaign was "unnecessarily severe".

The boss of Dutch rail operator NS Marjan Rintel said: “I have expressed our surprise, displeasure and horror to the management of ProRail.”

Some drivers who have been involved in collissions slammed the pictures on social media.

One wrote: “Wow, just wow. I've spent the past six months seeing a psychologist after my last collision and thought I was over it. Big mistake. Thanks very much.”

People claiming to be survivors of accidents have also hit out at the campaign.

What does Dutch rail say?

ProRail spokesperson Jaap Eikelboom defended the "confronting campaign" claiming it was having the desired impact.

He told the BBC: "If you do a confronting campaign there are always people who find it negative and positive.

"We think the campaign is working because people are discussing it. If we don't confront people with these kinds of pictures it's going to keep happening."