RAIL crews worked overnight on Thursday to replace 200ft of track damaged after a freight train derailed.

East Coast services were brought to a standstill when the EWS-owned freight train, from Drax power station, in South Yorkshire, derailed at King Edward Bridge, in Newcastle.

Services between Darlington and Newcastle were cancelled, leaving thousands of commuters facing delays.

Up to half-a-mile of track was damaged in the accident, which happened at 6.40am on Thursday.

Sixty engineers worked through the night to lift the derailed wagons back on the tracks, before they were towed away. At 6am yesterday, Network Rail said the track was cleared and services would resume as normal.

Investigators are examining the cause of the accident.