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That's nuts! GWR is forced to axe train service after two squirrels boarded and started terrorising...

Arthur Parashar
~3 minutes

, updated

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Great Western Railway was forced to axe a train service after two squirrels boarded and started terrorising passengers.

Pandemonium erupted when the rampaging rodents went off the rails, rushing onto a carriage and attacking stunned passengers.

Staff then desperately attempted to stop the crazed squirrels in their tracks by ushering people into different carriages.

However, the service terminated early as one of the squirrels refused to leave the train.

Chaos erupted when the pair of rodents jumped onboard the 8.54am train from Reading to Gatwick, leaving some holidaymakers at risk of missing their flights.

Pandemonium erupted when the rampaging rodents went off the rails, rushing onto a carriage and attacking stunned passengers. (File image)
Great Western Railway was forced to terminate its journey early after being unable to remove of one of the squirrels. (File image)

The train had pulled into Gomshall, Surrey, when the squirrels rushed on board with a vengeance.

As they started attacking passengers, the train conductor was forced to lock the doors to stop the squirrels making their way through the carriages.

A source told The Sun: 'It was complete pandemonium. The squirrels got into the rear carriage and attacked people.

'All the passengers ran off the train and got another carriage.

'The conductor then had to lock the doors to stop the squirrels moving up the train.'

It's understood the Class 165 train pulled in at Redhill, where staff spent 30 minutes using brooms, a telescopic grabber and peanuts to try and lure the squirrels off the train.

Unable to remove one, train bosses decided to terminate the service and send the train back to Reading to get rid of the pest.

The source added: 'We've all heard of the 'leaves on the line' excuse, but a squirrel attack is a new one.'

A spokesperson for GWR said: 'We can confirm that the 0854 Reading to Gatwick was terminated at Redhill after a couple of squirrels boarded the train at Gomshall without tickets, breaching railway byeclaws.

'We attempted to remove them at Redhill, but one refused to leave and was returned to Reading to bring an end to this nutty tail.'