A GROUP campaigning to reopen a closed railway line has heard about a successful similar fight in Scotland.

More than 50 people attended the 17th annual meeting of the Skipton and East Lancs Rail Action Partnership at the Lesser Municipal Hall in Albert Road, Colne last week.

The guest speaker was Simon Walton, chairman of the Campaign for Borders Rail.

He told how when the line was closed due to the 1960s' Beeching cuts it the area become depressed and isolated.

The group have been campaigning for 20 years to re-open this line from Edinburgh to Carlisle.

In 2015 the line was re-instated from Edinburgh to Tweedbank and opened by Queen Elizabeth II.

Mr Walton said: "There have been technical challenges to overcome but it has been a successful project and is helping regeneration.

"Four million passengers have used the line and the campaign continues to extend the route to Carlisle."

The meeting also heard SELRAP now has 525 individual members.

Its chairman Peter Bryson reported on his September presentation to MPs at Westminster.

He reminded the meeting that on a January visit to Colne, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling had revealed that an expert study had ruled that re-opening the line was 'technically feasible'.

The Cabinet Minister announced a further investigation into whether the demand for freight traffic on the route would make it commercially viable.

Mr Grayling made clear his commitment to its reopening, provided the business case is made.

Pendle councillor and Liberal Democrat Peer Lord Tony Greaves said: "The Borders Rail presentation was very interesting."