Reading Station disrupted after balloon hits electric cable

Platforms seven and eight were evacuated on Sunday to keep the passengers safe

A railway station was disrupted when a stray helium balloon hit an overhead electrical cable.

Passengers on two platforms at Reading station were evacuated on Sunday after the balloon hit the cables resulting in a low hanging power wire.

It led to some train services between Reading and London Paddington being delayed on Sunday evening.

Network Rail said trains were now running "largely as normal" and engineers will fix the cable later.

"This incident is a reminder of the impact that stray balloons and other objects can cause when coming into contact with overhead electrical cables," a Network Rail spokesperson said.

"We would like to apologise to any passengers who were impacted by this incident and thank them for their patience and understanding while we make the necessary repairs."