The rail network is set to be hit by mass strikes this week with major disruption expected.

Mainline services are set to be most badly hit by cancellations as over 50,000 railway workers walk out in a dispute over pay.

Tyne and Wear Metro services will also be affected despite Nexus staff not being involved in the industrial action.

Metro trains run on a section of track owned and operated by Network Rail between Pelaw and South Hylton, where the line was extended to Sunderland 20 years ago this year.

Read more: Rail strikes: North East MPs react ahead of week-long strike

Because of that, no Metro services will be running on that section of the line on the main strike days June 21, 23 and 25.

There will also be no Northern Rail services running between Newcastle and Sunderland on these days.

Metro bosses are advising passengers to find alternative travel or put off their journeys.

Go North East and Stagecoach buses in the area on these dates will accept Metro season tickets, corporate season tickets, paper one-week tickets and Metrosavers only. No other Metro ticket types will be accepted.

Read more: Rail strikes: North East drivers warned of major delays

A replacement bus service will also be running between Heworth and South Hylton on Saturday June 25, as this had already been arranged for planned engineering works.

On the days after the strikes, Metro services between Pelaw and South Hylton will not start until 7am.

The rest of the metro system will be running as normal throught the week.

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