Mr Mitchell said a few train passengers had panicked

Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell had boarded a Newcastle to London Kings Cross train in York on Thursday which got stuck.

"Eventually south of Peterborough it came to a total halt and it got hotter and hotter and hotter," he said. "It was hell."

GNER has launched an inquiry into the incident and apologised to passengers.

Emergency alarms

Mr Mitchell said some people had been moved out of carriages because they were too hot as temperatures reached more than 37C.

But when the train stopped people did not know what was going on.

Some people fainted and people were fanning them by the track. Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell

"People were very uncomfortable," he said. "Eventually with the train stopped and going nowhere and no-one knowing what was happening people panicked.

"A couple of people broke the window to let some air in which disabled the train even more and other people were pressing the emergency alarms and rushing up and down."

Eventually people were allowed off of the train and into a field by the track.

Alternative travel

"There were 200 to 300 people in the field all in the heat and all trying to drink water," he said.

"Some people fainted and people were fanning them by the track."

Water and medical staff were flown in by helicopter and police and the fire service were on hand to give emergency treatment.

Mr Mitchell said a Hull Trains service later arrived to take everyone back to Peterborough where alternative travel arrangements were made.