RAIL staff are feeling the heat of passengers' frustration over months of delays since the Hatfield crash.

Disruption caused by track repairs and flooding have left many commuters facing severe delays, cancellations and crowded services, with rail employees bearing the brunt of their anger.

Now rail companies have revealed that the crisis has pushed more of their staff into seeking relief from stress through counselling.

Virgin, which runs the cross-country route from the North-East to the Midlands and South-West, has now introduced a 24-hour helpline to cope with the extra demand.

A spokesman said: "We have always had counselling facilities, but it was always available through line managers, whereas now it is available to anybody on a 24-hour basis.

"Over the past 12 weeks our staff have been subject to increasing pressure, mainly because of the disruption to train services.

"We haven't had too many physical attacks, but there have been a lot of verbal attacks and customers taking it out on our staff."

He said the counselling was provided by a private health insurer and had been well used since it was introduced, just before Christmas.

A spokesman for East Coast main line operator GNER said they did not compile figures on how many people used their staff helpline.

But he added: "I would imagine there has been an increase over the last few months.

"Post-Hatfield, it has been very difficult for our staff, but they have done a fantastic job. When there is any abuse of staff we clamp down on it very hard.