Rail union bosses have accused train firm Arriva Trains Northern of misleading the travelling public over how many services they have been able to provide during a conductors' strike.

The company claims 55 per cent of its normal services are now running despite 24-hour strikes called by the RMT union over a continuing pay and conditions dispute. But RMT lead organiser for the North East, Stan Herschel, said the company's figures were ''nonsense''.

He said: ''There is no way there are 50 per cent of the services were running. I would be surprised if there are even 10 per cent were running.

''The support for this action is solid. I think it is irresponsible of the company to claim services are running when they are not.

''They are misleading the public. I am here at York station and it is completely quiet.''

A spokeswoman for Arriva Trains Northern said the firm was standing by its figure of 55 per cent of services running. But she added that this included rail services which had been replaced with buses.

She said the number of trains running was 15 per cent up on the figure for the last strike in the series.

The strike, by 670 conductors employed by Arriva Trains Northern, coincides with a 48-hour strike launched on Wedsnesday by 300 ticket and retail staff.

The conductors' dispute is over a proposed 3 per cent pay rise, which the union claims is unfair, as drivers were offered 18 per cent and other benefits.

Further strikes are also planned for April 5-6 and May 3-4 by the conductors. Darlington train station was deserted but for a few passengers awaiting services by non-striking train operators.

The general mood on the platform was one of disappointment that the trains were, once again, not operating as normal.

Bob Turner, 48, from the Denes area of Darlington said: ''I have enormous sympathy for the workers. It must be difficult for them to see drivers getting huge wage rises and yet there is not an equivalent increase given to conductors and guards."

Sally Shaw, 23, arrived on a train from York. She said: ''It is amazing that people still use the trains. They are forever being cancelled or are permanently late."

But Sean Cornwall, 34, of Darlington's West End, said: ''This is ridiculous. I've got to catch a bus which will probably take hours. It is a pain in the rear end when you can't do something simple like catch a bus to a nearby town or city.''