RAIL passengers were left stranded on a bridge yesterday after vandals climbed out of a window and tampered with the train.

The GNER diesel express service to London Kings Cross, which left Newcastle Central Station at 11.15am, had reached the King Edward VIII bridge over the Tyne, when someone pulled the emergency cord.

Contractors working for Network Rail on the line reported seeing two men climb out of a sash window on to the track.

The pair attempted to tamper with pressurised air tanks linking the train's coaches, before running off along the track towards Newcastle.

GNER spokesman John Gelson said: "This is the first time I have heard of anything like this.

"We regard this as a highly irresponsible incident."

Staff on the train reset the passenger communication alarm, then spent 20 minutes checking to make sure it was safe to continue.

"We would stress that, at no point was passenger safety compromised," said Mr Gelson. "We take a very dim view of this sort of behaviour. The matter is now in the hands of the British Transport Police, and we will be fully co-operating with them in the ensuing investigation."

He said it was not clear whether the vandals specifically targeted the air tanks or whether it was a random act. Two other trains on the East Coast Main Line also suffered minor delays due to the incident.

PC Rob Blacklock, of the British Transport Police, said: "This was a very odd, but very dangerous and foolish incident. At the time the train was very busy, with a lot of children on board."

One of the men was described as Asian, in his early 40s, with black, bushy hair. He was wearing a white or cream Hawaiian-style shirt, with a green floral pattern.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Blacklock on 0191-221 3490, or British Transport Police on 0800 405040.