Lightning strike causes rail disruption

Train passengers are being warned of disruption after a lightning strike damaged a signalling system.

The weather conditions have caused some services in West, South and North Yorkshire to be cancelled or delayed.

Transpennine Express said due to the fault, all lines between Leeds and Castleford running in both directions were blocked and disruption was expected until 11:00 BST.

Train operator Northern said among services affected were trains between Leeds and Sheffield via Castleford and Barnsley as well as to Carlisle to Leeds via Sheffield.

Rail replacement buses have been arranged to assist passengers.

Passengers were being advised to check station notices for pick-up points and allow extra time for journeys.

A suspected lightning strike has also caused disruption on the West Coast Main Line near Runcorn, Network Rail said.

It happened where the railway connects to Liverpool and the North Wales coast and engineers are urgently fixing blown fuses.

Only one train an hour is currently running between Crewe and Liverpool, calling at Runcorn and Liverpool South Parkway, Network Rail said.

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