Rail delays between Manchester and London after a person was hit by a train

There were rail delays between Manchester and London this afternoon (Monday) after a person was hit by a train. All lines on the West Coast Mainline were blocked for a time following the incident in the Midlands.

Passengers were warned to expect disruption heading into the evening rush hour. A statement on the National Rail Enquiries website earlier said: "Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident between Rugby and Stafford all lines are currently blocked. As a result trains may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 6pm."

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A statement on Train operator Avanti West Coast website said: "Due to a person being hit by a train between Tamworth Hl and Nuneaton all lines are blocked. Train services running through these stations may be delayed by up to 60 minutes or diverted. Disruption is expected until 4.45pm."

The line reopened around 4.45pm. Avanti passengers have faced huge disruption in recent weeks as services between Manchester and London have been slashed to one an hour while tickets have only been released for sale a few days in advance.

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