Network Rail has been forced to apologise following severe disruption on its West Coast Main Line.

Livestock on the track caused many services to be delayed and Dyan Crowther, the company's route managing director, said conversations have been held with landowners along the rural parts of the track in order to address the issue.

New fencing is being installed between Rugby and London Euston and this is part of a £40 million investment programme to bring the line up to scratch, with the aim of the scheme being to improve the reliability of train services on what is Britain's busiest mixed-use railway line.

"We are not satisfied with the current performance of our infrastructure on the southern end of the West Coast Main Line," Mr Crowther stated. 

The line, which connects Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool, runs for 399 miles. According to Virgin, 70 per cent of its delays are attributable to Network Rail.