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London commuters have raised safety fears over the new Pokémon GO phone game, after pictures emerged of the digital creatures on Tube tracks and in the middle of busy roads.

The new game tasks players with capturing the fictional creatures in a digital collection. The animals appear in real-world scenarios and players have to stay glued to their phones in order to track them down.

Images of Londoners transfixed by their phones' screens are being circulated widely online, despite the fact the game has not been officially released yet in the UK.

One traveller, who adopted the Pokémon username “A Leadsom”, tweeted a picture of a “pokeball” on the tube tracks at High Street Kensington.

He wrote: “Health and safety all the way in on this morning’s commute. Gotta get that ball!”

The game is expected to be launched officially in the UK within days. However tech-savvy phone owners have figured out they can download it early by changing the region of their phone.

TfL issues regular reminders to London commuters not to try to retrieve anything from Tube tracks.

The NSPCC has already raised fears over the game being hijacked by people who want to harm children. A spokesman told the Daily Mail: "Given its massive popularity with children it’s worrying that this game appears susceptible to being hijacked by those who may wish to harm them.

'When creating these games companies must consider the potential risks to young users and do everything they can to make sure their app doesn’t put them in danger."

Another keen Pokémon player who uses the OMagas Gaming Twitter handle, said the game was so immersive that a friend of his tripped over and hurt himself whilst trying to catch one.

He said: "You walk around the city and your phone tells you where they are, then you try to catch them.

"A friend was trying to catch a water-based Pokémon and he didn't realise how close he was getting to the water so he ended up falling over!

"Most people are so involved they don't notice where they are walking."

Gamers on the augmented-reality app are spotting the creatures all over the tube network, as well as on London's buses.

Others say they deliberately made themselves late for work in a frenzy trying to “catch” Pokémon on their morning commute.

One commuter joked the water-based “Squirtle” character should replace all fire extinguishers.

Another another lamented: “Since Brexit the underground has dropped standards. How can they let bats on the tube.”

TfL refused to comment as to whether they would be issuing specific travel advice to users of Pokémon GO.

There have already been reports of people picking up minor injuries while playing. Users are advised to stop walking when catching a Pokemon, and not to play while driving.

A serving US soldier in Mosul faced criticism for playing the game while apparently on duty.

The New York City Mayor’s office released a statement yesterday, warning Pokémon GO players to stay “aware of their surroundings, alert to danger, and following all laws” while playing the game.

Transport For London has warnings across tube stations, advising passengers to not pick anything up from tracks, rush along platforms and remain behind yellow lines at all times.

On their website, TFL says: “Be careful travelling and stay safe.

“If you drop anything onto a train track don't try to pick it up, just ask a member of staff or use the Help Point.”