Passengers have been evacuated from a train after a downed tree burst into flames above the tracks.

A train travelling from Stanstead Airport to London Liverpool Street came to a shuddering stop shortly after Harlow Town at around 6.20pm this evening (October 12).

A tree, felled by the gale-force winds of Storm Callum and set alight by the electrified wires above the tracks, blocked the trains way.

For more than an hour the train's passengers, many of whom had just arrived in the country, were stuck in a completely dark carriageway.

At 7.30pm the marooned travellers were led carriage-by-carriage to the end of the train where they climbed down a short ladder onto the tracks.

Greater Anglia staff and members of the public carried less mobile passengers and their luggage off the train.

Once down, they walked towards Harlow Town where they were told a bus was waiting.

As of 8pm many remain at the station however, where too few buses have left them waiting in the cold with little official information.

Bodil Brewitz, a public sector energy manager who had flown to the UK from Stockholm, said: "British people are so polite and nice.

"I would say it is bad circumstances but everybody has been very calm and good.

"They're all very sweet.

"The conductor turned to me and apologised whilst we were walking along the tracks and I said 'don't worry honey, it's not your fault'."