FIVE horses were killed early on Tuesday by two trains between Darlington and Middlesbrough.

Both trains were being operated by Northern Rail. Nobody on board was hurt, but neither train could continue without safety checks and so their passengers were transferred to buses. The line is open again now, and an investigation is under way into how the horses came to be there.

Both British Transport Police and RSPCA inspectors went to the scene.

A spokesman for BTP said:  "We were called to the railway line near Durham Tees Valley Airport after reports a number of horses had been struck by two trains. Colleagues from Durham Police and the Environment Agency were also in attendance. The RSPCA was also called to the scene.

"We are trying to determine how the horses came to be near the line."