CHAINSAW operators worked through the night to remove a 30ft tree from the railway in Keighley after it blew onto the tracks as Storm Dudley battered the district.

Passengers can now travel between Shipley and Skipton, Network Rail confirmed, after the huge conifer was removed and the train-powering electric wires repaired.

The tree – which was first discovered at 3pm yesterday – stopped Northern trains from running between Shipley and Skipton, and rail replacement buses had to be laid on.

People are asked to continue to check their journey as services resume.

Matt Rice, North & East Route Director for Network Rail said: “I’d like to thank passengers for bearing with us as we worked to repair the railway as quickly – and as safely – as we could.

"Storms present real challenges for the railway and, while we do a huge amount of work to reduce these risks, some delays are inevitable.”

A spokesperson for Northern said: “Storms are expected to cause widespread disruption across the rail network over the coming days.

"As such, there will be a number of planned cancellations. Our focus will remain on getting people to where they need to be safely across our network.

"Passengers are advised to check as close to departure as possible for the latest information as this will be a changing picture.”