A TRAIN driver could have been killed after a brick was left dangling off a railway bridge from a length of rope.

Police said the "reckless and dangerous" act could have been fatal after being called to Beaumont Road in Lostock at about 5pm on Wednesday.

The incident caused more than 11 hours of delays to the rail network, and police are now hunting for the person responsible.

The brick was hanging at the level of the driver's window, and all services approaching it were stopped after a train driver travelling the other way spotted it and raised the alarm.

The rope was tied to a girder on Heaton Bridge with a brick fastened to the end.

The 4.58pm Bolton to Barrow service had passed the area moments before the brick was lowered and narrowly avoided significant damage, and injury to the driver.

Northern Rail said its passengers and staff deserved to be in a safe environment and vowed to help police track down the culprits.

Insp Michelle Wedderburn said: “The consequences of such a reckless and dangerous act could have been fatal, as the brick had been deliberately hung so that it was level with the driver’s cab window of a train that would have been travelling at speed toward it. It is vital we find who was responsible for this.”

Martyn Guiver, head of crime management for Northern Rail, said: “We have a zero tolerance policy to anti-social behaviour on our network.

"Our customers and our people have the right to travel and work in a safe environment and we are working closely with British Transport Police to ensure those responsible for this are held accountable.”

Anyone with information should call British Transport Police on 0800 405040, or text 61016, quoting reference PSUB/B11 of 20/08/2015.

Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.