Train services cancelled over damage to cables

East Coast mainline has cancelled all its services between Cambridgeshire and London King's Cross station because of problems with overhead cables.

Overhead wires have failed in the Huntingdon area, near Peterborough, a spokeswoman said.

In a statement East Coast advised all passengers at King's Cross to go home and restart their journeys on Wednesday.

All trains from both north and south are stopping at Peterborough.

Managing director Karen Boswell said: "East Coast apologises for the inconvenience this will cause to passengers who are planning to travel today, due to severe damage to the overhead power lines at Huntingdon.

"Network Rail staff are on site and are working fast to fix the problem but unfortunately we currently have no estimate as to when the line will reopen."

Hundreds of passengers were stuck on six trains with some having to be taken from the carriages using ladders.

Passenger Ian Dormer said staff on the train had kept passengers' spirits up by handing out hot drinks and biscuits.

Although trains were still leaving stations in Edinburgh, Newcastle and York, a spokesman for East Coast said services would stop at Peterborough.

Stranded passengers

East Coast said it was using 63 replacement coach services at Peterborough and Huntingdon to take passengers to and from Cambridge, where they could join train services to London Liverpool Street.

On Sunday hundreds of rail passengers were left stranded in Peterborough overnight as icicles caused overhead power cables to fail.

East Coast cancelled all services through Peterborough on Sunday afternoon.

The train company said it was due to an overhead power line problem between Stevenage and Peterborough.

There were not enough replacement buses, meaning hundreds of passengers had to spend the night in hotels.

East Coast has advised passengers that ticket restrictions have been lifted but people should travel on their booked train if possible.