PASSENGERS are facing delays because thieves have stolen copper cable from the region's railway lines, The Northern Echo has learnt.

Network Rail estimates the theft of electrical cable from signal systems has cost the company £4m in the past six months.

Because the signals are designed to "fail safe", any interference turns all the lights to red, bringing services to a halt.

In an effort to avoid further misery this Christmas the company is working with police to improve security and catch the thieves.

Rail bosses say the worst-hit area is the North-East and Yorkshire.

Since April, passengers in the region have had to put up with 65 days-worth of delays.

Dyan Crowther, route director for Network Rail in the North-East, last night reassured passengers that lives were not being put at risk by the thieves.

He said: "Theft is a growing issue for all industries using copper cable, including the railway. Our fail-safe system means that any cut cable turns all signals in the area to red and brings all nearby trains to a halt.

"Passengers are, therefore, not put at risk by cable theft, but they are massively inconvenienced by the delays it causes."

She added: "We are working closely with the British Transport Police to prevent thefts and catch culprits.

"We have tightened security at all locations where there is copper cable, and the Network Rail helicopter is constantly at work, protecting storage locations and pursuing thieves."

The company has spent £2m compensating train operators and a further £2m replacing cable between London and the North-East in the past six months.

Last month, thieves caused delays when they stole cable from Sleekburn and Bedlington, Northumberland.

Other areas targeted include Ferrybridge, North Yorkshire, and Cliff House, near Hartlepool.

The theft of copper cable follows a global rise in the value of all metals. The price of scrap copper is £2,000 a ton, experts say.

Jim Anderson, from KA Anderson Metal Recyclers Ltd, of Ripon, North Yorkshire, said: "Scrap copper is not as high as it was just after the summer, but it's still pretty high.

"The scrap metal industry has cleaned itself up recently.

"To sell stolen copper you would have to go to an unregistered back street tat shop, the kind of place where you would get a dodgy MoT certificate."