STRIKE action affecting train services in East Lancashire on Saturday has been suspended by rail unions.

Train operator Northern says the RMT rail union has agreed to postpone industrial action ahead of fresh talks.

Sir Brendan Barber, chairman of the conciliation service ACAS, has brokered the discussions.

David Brown, Northern's managing director, said: "We warmly welcome RMT's decision to suspend its strike action and recommence talks about what the future role of the conductor looks like.

"We have been very clear in these discussions that there will be a conductor on all our trains now and into the future.

"We are looking forward to further positive talks with RMT about operational models moving ahead so that we can resolve their despite and bring it to an end.

"The suspension of the RMT strikes is good news for customers and businesses across the North."

But it has been revealed that the announcement will not bring back all services on Saturday.

Around 700 are expected to run but the operator says that restoring routes "is a very complex task" and few will run after 5pm.