Queen Elizabeth II: Extra trains from Manchester for mourners

Avanti West Coast will run an extra four trains a day from Manchester to London

Extra train services will run for people travelling from Manchester to London to pay respects to the Queen.

Avanti West Coast has announced it will add four extra services from Tuesday between 09:35 and 17:55 BST to the capital from Manchester.

Four more will then travel in the opposite direction between 12:40 and 20:40.

But the company continued to operate a reduced timetable due to staff shortages.

Demand for trains to London is expected to be particularly heavy from Wednesday, when the public can attend the lying-in-state at Westminster Hall from 17:00.

Extra train services will be running throughout the country with a limited night service on some routes.

Avanti said there will be three extra trains each way on Friday between the same times.

It claimed the extra services will add 16,000 seats.

The company is yet to make a decision about extra services at the weekend or Monday when the funeral will take place, but said it was "examining closely what opportunities there are for additional services".

An Avanti West Coast spokesman said: "We want to ensure that everyone who wants to travel on our trains to pay their respects can do so, and have been working hard to see where we can put on additional services for the period of mourning."

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