Endangered gull causes train disruption

The young herring gull was removed from the lines after power was shut down and platforms closed

Power was shut off and trains disrupted after a "baby" herring gull was discovered on a railway line, Southern Railway said.

Platforms at Brighton station were closed on Tuesday while the endangered bird was removed, the train operator said.

The three plaforms were closed disrupting services on the London mainline between19:00 BST and 20:20 while power was switched off, Southern said.

The rail operator posted on X, formerly Twitter, that some trains, including Thameslink and Gatwick Express services, had terminated before getting to Brighton.

Although herring gulls are a common sight at the seaside, the species has been on the Birds of Conservation Concern’s (BCC) red list since 2009 because of ongoing population decline.

The list is compiled by the UK’s leading bird conservation organisations, including the RSPB, and identifies conservation priorities for birds.

Southern also confirmed on X that the "baby" bird had been moved safely away from the railway.