Three people have been arrested after two miles of railway line was stolen by raiders equipped with diggers and cutting tools.

Police arrived after a member of the public became suspicious when he saw six men removing the track, valued at about �250,000, at the disused Leamside line, near Penshaw, Wearside.

British Transport Police arrested three people at the scene, but another three escaped in a white van.

The owner of the van was traced to Sheffield and has been arrested.

There have been minor thefts for scrap metal, but nothing on this scale before British Transport Police

Police said most of the 313 tonnes of track had been recovered, but it had been chopped up and was now useless.

A spokesman for the British Transport Police said the gang was well-organised.

He added: "There have been minor thefts for scrap metal, but nothing on this scale before."

Specialist equipment

Each piece of track stolen is thought to weigh about 1,000 kilos and the gang would have had difficulty removing it.

They had used specialist engineering equipment, including JCB diggers and cutting tools, which had been abandoned at the scene.

The line has not carried passengers since 1964, but there have been calls recently to reopen it.

British Transport Police are still looking for other people in connection with the theft.