FROZEN ice on train lines between Bedford and London has left commuters in St Albans stranded at the city station.

No trains are currently passing through the station and First Capital Connect (FCC) is informing customers on its website that there is severe disruption and up to two hours delay on all services on the Thameslink route.

FCC bosses say compacted frozen ice and snow has affected the points motors at all four major junctions between the fast and slow lines on the service.

A statement on the company's website reads: “A large number of trains have also failed and more are failing as they are prepared for work – again because of heavy icing. There is also the issue of some trains being in the wrong location as a result of failing yesterday.

“Please accept our sincere apologies – depot, track and signalling engineers are doing their very best to remedy matters.

“Your tickets are being accepted on East Midland Trains and Southern trains and on all reasonable routes with London Underground but you will experience severe difficulties on your journey this morning.”

A normal service remains on the Great Northern route which is also experiencing major disruption due to an earlier broken down train at Cambridge and another at Finsbury Park.

There have been a number of cancellations and some services have been reduced to four carriages from eight.