A major train line has been swarmed by police during this morning’s rush hour after reports of a “trespasser with a weapon”. Greater Anglia posted on X earlier: “Due to trespassers on the railway between #Ilford and Romford. Train services running through these stations may be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until further notice.”
But an X user replying to that post claimed they had been told by a train conductor that there were “reports that the trespasser has a weapon”. They wrote: “Your conductor on my service added the speculation that ‘reports that the trespasser has a weapon’ which feels a very irresponsible addition from a communication pov.”
A British Transport Police spokesman said: “Officers were called at around 8am today to reports of a trespasser on the tracks in the Ilford area. Officers conducted a thorough search. It was established that the man had climbed a fence and left the area.”
Impacted train services include the routes between Liverpool Street and Southend Victoria, Braintree, Colchester, Clacton, Ipswich, and Norwich. The Elizabeth line has also been impacted by the incident.
Greater Anglia was also keen to clear up speculation from some people replying to their original post on X, speculating that someone may have been hit by a train.
The train firm replied to one person: “Good Morning, there was a block on the line at Ilford due to a trespasser. The person is now clear of the railway and the trains will begin to move shortly.
“No one was hit by a train. Apologies for the inconvenience.”
In a separate post on X, Greater Anglia apologised to commuters if their journey had been disrupted this morning, sharing a link to visit when they can claim compensation for a train ticket for delays of 15 minutes or more.
The Daily Express has approached the Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police for comment.
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