AN investigation is taking place after two trains on the West Coast Main Line came close to colliding in Cumbria.

An automated safety system has been praised for helping to prevent a serious incident on Monday at Oxenholme, which serves Kendal and the southern Lake District.

It involved two Virgin Voyagers, one of which passed a signal that should have prevented it entering the station.

Keith Lumley, of Network Rail, told the BBC Cumbria website the automatic train protection system cut in exactly as it should have.

He said: "It worked perfectly, did exactly what it was designed to do. When the train went through a red signal it applied the brakes and the train was brought safely to a stand."

The automated system was created after the Cullen inquiry into the Ladbroke Grove disaster, when a train passed a red light and collided with another train, killing 31 people.