NORMAL train services have resumed after they were hit by the theft of railway cables this morning.

NORMAL train services have resumed after they were hit by the theft of railway cables this morning.

A limited number of buses were put on in Bury St Edmunds this morning while other commuters were forced to endure widespread delays on services running between Ipswich and Peterborough.

But a statement on the National Express website at 2.20pm said: “Normal services have now resumed between Liverpool Street and Peterborough after earlier damage to signalling equipment near Ely caused by theft and vandalism.”

Police have launched an investigation into the theft and vandalism, which occurred near Ely train station, and issued an urgent warning about the life-threatening crime.

A spokesman for British Transport Police (BTP) said: “We received reports early yesterday morning of damage to runway cable near Ely station.

“It is believed 250 to 300 metres of railway cable was stolen. Officers from the BTP's dedicated metal theft unit, Operation Drum are investigated and rail services have been affected.”

The vandalism caused services between Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds to be affected while lines between Peterborough and Ipswich were also delayed and replacement buses ran on some routes.

The BTP spokesman added: “Cable theft is a particular problem and is extremely dangerous to those involved. It is a priority area for the BTP and can cause hours of delays for passengers.

“For those who steal cable, it is extremely dangerous. They are not just risking a prison sentence but they are also risking their lives.”

- Meanwhile, services on the Ipswich to London line which were disrupted after a vehicle hit a bridge in the Chelmsford area are now running normally.

Commuters faced short notice alterations, cancellations and delays of up to 40 minutes as a result of the accident this morning.

It comes after a week of chaos on the commuter route last week with major disruptions to travellers.