A DRIVER and two guards barricaded themselves inside a train carriage after they were attacked by two teenage boys.

The train staff were punched and kicked to the ground in the late night attack at Blackrod station which lasted for 15 minutes.

About 30 passengers were stranded on the Manchester Airport to Blackpool North train as the brawl broke out.

The driver and guards were eventually forced to retreat into the driver's cab as the youths pelted the train with stones and kicked the doors in fury.

The violence stopped only when police arrived at the station on Station Road.

Officers arrested a 16-year-old boy. He was questioned by detectives and later released on bail pending further inquiries.

A second youth escaped across fields and was still being hunted by police today.

One passenger, from Preston, who did not want to be identified, said: "It was a full-on fight. It was a particularly nasty kind of violence, with these two lads landing plenty of punches.

The train staff, probably in their 30s and 40s, were trying to protect themselves, but it was obvious these lads had been in fights before."

It is believed the two teenagers and a friend boarded the 10.48pm service at Lostock railway station on Wednesday night.

The eyewitness said that when the train arrived at Horwich Parkway, their friend forced open the doors and verbally abused the guard as he left.

Minutes later, when the train reached Blackrod, the two remaining teenagers told the guard they wanted to go back to the last station.

The guard told them that was not possible and he was then kicked.

The driver left his cab and ran to the aid of his colleague, but he was headbutted to the ground and a fight began.

The witness said: "At one point both of the teenagers were punching and kicking the guard on the ground. They were very violent.

"I saw a young child on board who was extremely shaken by what she saw."

Paul Bunting, First North Western's commercial director, said the driver was being offered counselling because the attack was so violent.

He said: "We are shocked and outraged at this incident and are taking it extremely seriously."

A spokesman for Virgin said they shared First North Western's outrage at the attack on their member of staff.

The train was damaged and passengers had to board a coach which was then meant to take them to their destinations.

But this broke down at Adlington and cabs arrived at around 3am to take them home.

British Transport Police are now investigating the incident and would like to speak to anyone who travelled on the train and witnessed the youths fighting.

Anyone who can help is asked to call freephone 0800 40 50 40.