On more than one occasion boys would attempt to abscond from the Desford Boys School.  
One boy was caught and held by a railway guard trying to stow away on a wagon in the sidings.  He persuaded the guard that he had been badly treated at the school and gained the guard’s sympathy. 
When officers from the school arrived to take charge of the lad, the guard became rather self-righteous and refused to let the boy out of his charge until he had satisfied himself about the allegations the boy had made. The guard demanded the names of the school officers and reached into his pocket for his pen. The pen was missing, as were his watch, wallet and other items.  The officers ordered the boy to turn out his pockets and the missing items miraculously appeared.
 

​

One day at Desford station some of the lads and some older men were kicking a football about at dinner time.  The passenger train from Burton to Leicester came into the station.  It had got a Class 2 engine on it which had a very long chimney.  While it stood in the station a lad kicked the ball and it dropped down the chimney.  When the driver opened the throttle, whoosh!  Out shot the ball.