FAMILIES in Bolton are being asked to tether down their trampolines after an incident which caused widespread transport disruption.

On Monday, as Storm Brenan battered the region, a trampoline was blown from a garden in Staffordshire and became lodged in overhead electrical wires above the nearby railway.

The incident caused a power outage which brought a halt to all trains in and out of the area, leaving passengers stranded in the awful weather.

While the wind has now returned to normal, the scare has prompted bosses at Network Rail to make a plea to families who live next to a railway line.

James Dean, director for Network Rail’s West Coast Mainline South route, said: “In strong winds trampolines become airborne very easily. Our advice is: Please tether these kinds of items. That way you won’t lose them and train passengers’ journeys won’t be disrupted.

“We’re appealing to people living by the railway to ensure other items, such as gazebos, marquees and tents are fixed in place, so they don’t end up on the railway during high winds.”