Two malicious devices found on railway lines 'linked to Brexit', police believe

Note found after attempted sabotage read: 'We will bring this country to its knees if we don't leave'

Two “malicious obstructions” found on railway lines in the UK are linked to Brexit, police believe.

British Transport Police (BTP) said short-circuiting devices were left on tracks near Yaxley, Cambridgeshire, and Netherfield, Nottinghamshire, last month in “a serious and deliberate attempt by someone to cause significant sabotage and disruption to Britain’s rail network”.

Detectives investigating the attempted sabotage “believe it relates to Britain’s exit from the European Union”.

The devices, installed at Yaxley on 21 March and Netherfield on 27 March, were detected by Network Rail workers and removed without disrupting services.

A note found attached to the devices warned: "We will bring this country to its knees if we don't leave."

Assistant chief constable Sean O’Callaghan said: “This was a serious and deliberate attempt by someone to cause significant sabotage and disruption to Britain’s rail network.

“We are urgently investigating the circumstances behind both incidents and are working extremely closely with our national partners, including the rail industry."

He added: “It is important to highlight that these acts were intended only to delay services and not cause damage to the infrastructure, however this failed on both occasions. The railway has a number of substantial safeguards in place to prevent and detect this type of sabotage and we are now working tirelessly to identify those responsible.

“We’re are currently keeping an open mind on why someone would put their life at risk to place these items on a live railway, however our early assessment has led us to believe it relates to Britain’s exit from the European Union.

“We’ll continue to monitor this situation extremely closely and have circulated advice to rail operators and indeed Network Rail."

The home-made devices left on the rail lines were designed to short circuit the electrical supply, tricking signallers into believing the track was occupied. They failed to function on both occasions, a BTP spokeswoman told The Independent.

A picture of one of the devices posted on social media by a train driver showed a note reading: "Government betrayal. Leave means leave. We will bring this country to its knees if we don't leave."

The driver, Lucio Buffone, wrote: "Due to European directives, this line had been upgraded to axel counters, so the protest had no effect."

The attempted sabotage came days before a Brexit protester disrupted Eurostar trains by trespassing on the tracks on the day the UK was originally due to leave the EU.

Terry Maher, 44, from Camden, north London, was arrested on Saturday after spending the night on the roof of St Pancras International rail station in a 12-hour stand-off with police. He later pleaded guilty to causing a public nuisance.