LANCASTER'S main line railway station was thrown into chaos after a double power cut forced it to shut down on a busy night.

The main line station was blacked-out twice after a major power failure.

Water in a junction box knocked out power at tea-time on Tuesday but the station was able to stay open. But it had to shut down at 8.30pm when the lights went out again.

Thirteen hours after the first fault, the station was still in darkness and full power was not restored until well after dawn.

The first fault also knocked-out supplies to around 20 houses near the station until engineers from United Utilities fixed the damage. But just two hours later they were back at the scene.

With no back up in place, station bosses had no alternative other than to shut down on safety grounds, although the line itself was not affected.

That meant buses and taxis were needed to take passengers to and from Morecambe, Preston, Oxenholme and Carnforth - oubling journey times.

"It's just typical," said Phil Dale, from Carnforth. "The trains aren't always that reliable but this isn't their fault.

"And the people from the station have been very good and sorted out transport as best as they can.

"I feel sorry for them because they get all the blame when things go wrong. They must be a bit mad about this."

Train operating company Virgin said there was no chance of keeping the station open in the dark.

"It is unsafe to have people getting off a train and onto a dark platform," spokesman David Dewer says. "I know it is annoying for people but we have to act in the interests of safety."