A major train crash in Salisbury which has left several people injured has caused travel disruption that is expected to last four days.
The collision between two trains happened at Fisherton Tunnel, close to London Road in Salisbury, at around 7pm on Sunday.
Thirteen casualties were treated at Salisbury District Hospital and three remain in hospital in a stable condition, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust said.
British Transport Police said the driver of one of the trains was among those taken to hospital.
National Rail Enquiries have now said most of the lines serving the Wiltshire city are blocked and “will remain closed until at least the end of the day on Thursday”.
This is affecting Great Western Railway (GWR) services on the route linking Cardiff and Bristol with Portsmouth and Brighton.
Several South Western Railway (SWR) routes are also affected, such as London Waterloo-Exeter, Bristol-Salisbury and Southampton-Salisbury.
Passengers are urged not to travel on the affected parts of the network.
National Rail Enquiries said: “On Sunday 31 October, the emergency services responded to an incident at Fisherton Tunnel near Salisbury station.
“The incident involved a Great Western Railway train service from Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol Temple Meads and a South Western Railway train service from London Waterloo to Honiton.
“Most of the lines through Salisbury are currently blocked, and will remain closed until at least the end of the day on Thursday 4 November.
“Customers are advised not to travel on this part of the network.”
The latest statement from the British Transport Police posted yesterday says: “We were called to Fisherton Tunnel in Salisbury at 6.46pm tonight following reports of a train derailment which involved two passenger trains colliding.
“Officers are continuing to respond to the incident alongside our emergency service colleagues and the line is expected to be shut for some time.
“Thankfully there have been no fatalities however a number of people have been injured and a casualty centre has been opened at a nearby church.
“Most of these people are walking wounded however a small number, including the driver, have been taken to hospital where their injuries are being assessed.
“A major incident has been declared and this has been a large scale, multi-agency response working closely alongside our colleagues in Wiltshire.
“We will remain on scene throughout the night working to establish the full circumstances of how this incident came to happen.”
Network Rail said in a statement that the rear carriage of the 5.08pm GWR service from Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol Temple Meads derailed after “striking an object” on its approach to Salisbury station.
It went on: “The derailment knocked out all of the signalling in the area. Subsequently, the 1720 South Western Railway service from London Waterloo to Honiton then collided with the Bristol train.”
After the incident, the derailed train was believed to be on its side, but the SWR train was upright.
Martin Frobisher, Network Rail’s safety and engineering director, said he does not know what caused the crash.