TRAINS operated by CrossCountry through Lydney and Chepstow are not running today (Friday) because of Storm Goretti.

Heavy snowfall around Birmingham last night forced the cancellation of services on several routes, including Nottingham to Cardiff servcies.

Nick Westcott, CrossCountry's Service Delivery Director, said: “Storm Goretti has had a significant impact on the CrossCountry network, particularly across the West Midlands, and the past 24 hours have been extremely challenging for both customers and colleagues.

“Heavy snowfall in the Birmingham area resulted in several trains being stranded and prevented access to our depot, meaning many trains were unable to refuel overnight.

“Ongoing difficulties for crews travelling into Birmingham have further affected operations.

“As a result, services today are severely disrupted.

“There are currently no services operating from Birmingham towards Manchester, Nottingham or Cardiff, with only a limited service running on other routes.

“Our teams are working around the clock with Network Rail to manage the impacts of the storm while maintaining a safe service. Customers are strongly advised to check before travelling; tickets dated for travel today can be used on CrossCountry services up to and including Monday (January 12).|”