Trains disrupted on UK’s busiest intercity line as cows wander on to tracks

London to Manchester among routes affected after cows blocked west coast mainline for more than three hours

A herd of cows has disrupted travel for thousands of train passengers after wandering on to Britain’s busiest intercity railway line.

Trains between London and Manchester were among those cancelled, with delays and disruptions affecting multiple train services on Tuesday after the errant cows blocked the west coast mainline in Staffordshire for more than three hours.

The cow incursion, which occurred shortly before 9am, was expected to affect services until 4pm, with delays and cancellations for Avanti West Coast and Lumo services between London Euston and Scotland , as well as London Northwestern and West Midlands trains.

Tickets are being accepted on certain alternative routes.

The incident blocked the line between London and Manchester a day after the prime minister-apparent, Andy Burnham, announced plans for No 10 operations split between the two cities – undeterred by his late arrival in Westminster last week on another delayed Avanti train, in a separate, non-cow incident.

According to the Press Association, railway staff had difficulties contacting the farmer responsible for the animals to move them off the track.

Burnham has called for the UK to be “able to take greater public control” of transport, but it is unclear if this is the kind of control he had in mind.