AN attempted theft of a cable from the Metro line has caused disruption to commuters.

The incident happened on Friday, June 21 and caused damage to cables near Palmersville Metro Station.

Northumbria Police are appealing for information and have released the image of two men they would like to trace.

Police said the suspects made their way onto the tracks in the early hours of the morning and cut through a power cable, before leaving the scene empty-handed.

This resulted in the line between South Gosforth and Monkseaton being closed for a number of hours as engineers rectified the problem.

An investigation is ongoing as officers in Northumbria Police’s metro unit and Nexus staff work to identify those responsible and take robust action against them.

As part of their enquiries, police have identified two men they would like to speak to in connection with the damage.

They were seen in the area at the time of the incident and could have valuable information that could assist officers.

Sergeant Tim Hand, of Northumbria Police’s metro unit, said: “We always take this type of incident very seriously and we are now asking the men pictured, or anyone who knows them, to come forward and assist with our investigation.

“I would like to reiterate the very real dangers of interfering with live cables on the tracks. Offenders are handling live wires, which can cause severe burns or potentially fatal injuries.

“These types of offences can cause a huge amount of disruption to passengers, so we are eager to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

“We have increased patrols in the area and will continue to work with our partners at Nexus to identify those involved.”

Customer Services Director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said: “I urge anyone with any information to come forward. We are offering a £1,000 reward for information that leads to the thieves being caught.

“Cable theft causes a huge amount of disruption to our customers as it halts Metro services while we carry out repairs. Metro runs on high voltage power so anyone who attempts to cut through trackside cables risks being seriously injured or killed.”

The men, or anyone who recognises them, are asked to contact 101 quoting reference 416 210619 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.