A campaigner who fought for the opening of Brighouse railway station two years ago says it has been turned into a rubbish-filled boozing den, where young drinkers could cause a major accident.

Peter Davies, chairman of the Yorkshire branch of Railfuture, fears that one of the drinkers could fall onto the line and be injured or even killed by a passing train.

He is also worried that drinks cans thrown onto the track could cause a serious rail accident.

"I'm very concerned that the station waiting shelters have been used as a drinking den," said Mr Davies. "These groups of people are drinking lager and throwing cans onto the line. There are heavy freight trains which use the Calder Valley line to and from Wakefield and if they are down there late at night and someone falls onto the line drunk, there could be a fatality."

Mr Davies said rubbish - including a microwave, three vacuum cleaners, a video, carpets and a bag of cement - had also been dumped at the back of Platform One.

"This has been reported to Arriva who are going to put a padlocked gate at the platform, so only their workers can gain access to clean it up," he said. "The British Transport Police have also been sent to speak to people who live near the station about this problem."

Mr Davies said the entrance to the station from Huddersfield Road was also a disgrace. "It has also been used as a dumping ground. There are bottles on one side and broken glass on the other.

"We have a council waste tip in Atlas Mill Road where there are proper facilities for recycling rubbish. But people are choosing to dump their rubbish at the railway station. It is sheer laziness - people just can't be bothered." The station is unmanned but has CCTV in operation. Councillor Colin Stout (Ind, Brighouse) said he had asked Arriva, the British Transport Police and Calderdale Council to monitor the CCTV system.

An Arriva spokesman said: "We are aware of the situation and are talking to the British Transport Police about the issues. We are also asking crews who pass through the station to report problems to us.

"We contacted the Council and asked them to clear the rubbish at regular intervals. We have also been in touch with people who live near the station to make them aware that it is not a dumping ground," he said.

Sergeant Neil Hubbs of the British Transport Police said: "Stations are there for the use of fare paying passengers. If they are intimidated by groups of youths drinking, the youths will be removed."