Landslip on Newcastle-Carlisle rail line halts trains

A landslip has caused trains between north-east and north-west England to be suspended.

The incident at Brampton blocked the line from Newcastle to Carlisle, with disruption likely all day on Saturday, Northern Rail said.

Delays on trains forced to return to Newcastle were made worse by a signal failure at nearby Blaydon.

Northern Rail said it would bus passengers cross country until the line reopened.

Routes affected included East Coast trains between Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Newcastle, Northern Rail trains between Newcastle and Carlisle and ScotRail trains between Glasgow Central, Dumfries and Newcastle.

Services from Carlisle to Whitehaven are now running after being suspended due to flooding in Aspatria.