Good Morning Britain was halted on Monday morning as presenter Susanna Reid interrupted the programme to announce a train derailment in Cumbria. Paramedics were rushed to the scene near Shap, with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander declaring it a major incident.
Reid broke into a segment with correspondent Richard Gaisford, who was reporting from King's Cross on a separate train attack in Cambridgeshire. She said: "Richard sorry, we're just getting breaking news this morning. Paramedics have been sent to a train derailment in Cumbria." Gaisford confirmed the incident on the West Coast mainline, noting severe weather conditions and advising passengers to seek alternative routes.
Avanti West Coast earlier announced that a train had derailed between Penrith North Lakes and Oxenholme Lake District, blocking all lines. The public was warned not to travel north of Preston on Avanti West Coast services today. Alexander said there were no reported injuries and that the priority was to safely evacuate passengers.
The transport secretary stressed that the derailment was "totally unrelated" to the Huntingdon train attack on Saturday, which left ten people hospitalised, one in a critical but stable condition. She praised the bravery of emergency services and the injured individual, describing him as a hero.
Alexander also confirmed increased police patrols on public transport following the attack, noting that trains remain among the safest forms of transport globally. Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
