A TRAIN had to be stopped after a plague of crickets invaded a carriage on the East Coast mainline.

Passengers screamed and staff ran around the Virgin Voyager when thousands of the insects started hopping around.

The 14.21 service from Newcastle to Cardiff was eventually halted at Derby and taken away to be fumigated when the crew gave up the struggle to try and capture the crickets.

The invasion was unleashed when a carrier bag filled with thousands of the insects was left on the train.

A spokesman for Virgin Trains said: "Between Darlington and Newcastle, the train manager discovered a carrier bag full of crickets which had split open in coach D.

"British Transport Police met the train at York and it was decided to close the shop on the train for health and safety reasons.

"Our staff were basically running around trying to recapture the crickets, which were jumping everywhere.

"It is certainly one of the most bizarre incidents I have ever come across."

A passenger said: "We were all stunned.

"We've all heard of leaves on the line and the wrong kind of snow - but crickets is a new one."

Virgin staff do not know why the crickets were on the train.

The spokesman said: "Crickets are used as food for exotic pets such as snakes and lizards, and it may be that they were intended for that reason.

"But the passenger got off and left them behind and the bag was later damaged, producing fairly chaotic results.

"They were hopping around the carriage and we understand quite a few crickets alighted at York before the train was taken out of commission."