COMMUTERS will be forced to deal with train delays and extremely busy services this evening after Northern services were hit by signalling problems and flooding.

A spokesman for the company said they would be suspending all services between Blackpool North and Manchester Airport (via Wigan) and between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport (via Warrington).

Engineering staff are on site attempting to deal with the issue, but there is currently no estimate regarding a return to normal operations.

The problem is thought to have occurred on a stretch of track between Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly.

On its website, a Northern spokesman wrote: "We are very sorry for the delay this may cause to your journey.

"Our Customer Promise provides for compensation to customers who are delayed by 30 minutes or longer on their journey.

"You can claim Delay Repay if one of our trains is late or cancelled and as a result you get to your destination station more than 30 minutes later than scheduled.

"If you wish to make a claim under our delay repay initiative, please retain your travel ticket and complete the delay repay form which is available here."

There have also been a number of reports of flooding on lines across the rail network, including at Daisy Hill and Atherton.

As a result of this several services have been delayed or rerouted, including the Manchester to Wigan line which is now going through Bolton, causing further delays and overcrowding problems.