Trespasser causes major rail delays for racegoers

Thousands of Cheltenham Festival racegoers are facing delays to trains because of a trespasser on the line in Gloucestershire.

Services through Gloucester are being cancelled or delayed after a man was detained in the area.

All lines have since reopened but disruption is expected to last until 13:00 GMT.

British Transport Police said officers were called at about 09:30 and that the trespasser was being assessed by paramedics.

Many services have been affected, including between Gloucester and Birmingham, Cardiff and Nottingham, Bristol and Worcester, and London Paddington and Cheltenham Spa.

The disruption is also affecting services from Cardiff to Cheltenham Spa, and between Weymouth, Warminster, Westbury and Gloucester.

Network Rail said: "As service recovers, trains running through Gloucester may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised."

The event is running from 10 to 13 March this year.

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