RAIL services on a busy line through Bolton will be reduced from today because of lockdown.

Operator Northern has announced the Clitheroe to Manchester Victoria service. which calls at Bromley Cross and Hall I'th Wood, is being curtailed.

Peak services will run as usual but the route will then revert to being hourly. The 0711, 0748 and 0817 services to Manchester from Bolton will run as normal before hourly trains kick in.

The Southport to Manchester Oxford Road service, which calls at Daisy Hill, Hag Fold, Atherton and Walkden, is also being run hourly.

Tricia Williams, Northern's chief operating officer at Northern, said: "We will focus on delivering services during the morning and evening peaks so those who need to travel can get to where they’re needed and have the space to maintain social distancing.”

“We’re therefore calling on people to check carefully before they travel and behave responsibly on our trains

"In the meantime, we’ll continue with our programme of enhanced cleaning at our trains and stations to keep our customers as safe as possible and to reduce the risk of transmission while travelling with Northern.”

The Preston to Manchester Victoria line, calling at Blackrod, Horwich Parkway, Lostock, Moses Gate, Farnworth and Kearsley, is understood to remain unaffected.