Network Rail has issued West Coast Railways with a suspension notice with effect from Friday 3 April.

In a statement, an NR spokesman said: “Network Rail has issued a suspension notice to West Coast Railway Company Limited (WCR) as a result of ongoing safety concerns.

“This decision has not been taken lightly, however safety will always be our number one priority.

“We have set out a number of actions to address the safety concerns raised and will continue to work with WCR to ensure their services can run safely in future.”