ICY CONDITIONS are causing delays for train commuters across Hampshire this morning.

South West Trains has been brought to a standstill after ice formed on the rail which supplies power to trains overnight.

The company is running replacement bus services at various county stations today.

Commuters have been told to expect delays of at least 20 minutes and buses are currently running instead of trains between Havant and Guildford because of icy conditions in Petersfield.

Some services are expected to be able to run via Eastleigh which could cause delays for commuters with more people needing transport than usual from the station.

South West Trains have apologised for any disruption caused and said that Cross Country UK will be accepting their tickets between Basingstoke and Bournemouth in both directions this morning.

A spokesperson for South West Trains said: "Along with Network Rail, we carefully monitor the weather forecasts for our network all year round. In the winter, we run special de-icer trains to keep lines clear and these are deployed when the air temperature is forecast to be below two degrees centigrade. 

"In this case, the forecasts we received did not indicate these temperature levels. However, in the early hours of this morning, there was a sudden decrease in temperature in some isolated areas and, following recent heavy rain, ice quickly formed on the rails.   

"We are sorry for the impact this has had on our customers' journeys. We will be reviewing the forecasting and our response to determine whether any additional preventative measures can be taken in future."