A seaside trip for a Keighley family became a nightmare when a 90-minute train journey turned into a six-hour marathon.

Instead of a pleasant trip back from Morecambe, they were sent via Lancaster, Manchester and Leeds, arriving home in Halifax Road at 1am by taxi.

The ordeal began for Keith Ross, 34, his wife, Beverley, 32, their two children aged six and two, nephew aged 12 months and Keith's mum, when they returned to Morecambe station in time for the last train to Keighley to find it had been cancelled by Arriva trains.

They were among about 60 people left stranded on the platform. "The station is unmanned -- it's like a ghost station. There's not even an electronic screen -- it was scandalous," said Mr Ross, a postman.

He eventually contacted the helpline and was told he would have to get a taxi to Lancaster, but luckily they managed to catch a local train.

"If I hadn't called the helpline, I think we would have been standing there now," he said.

On arriving in Lancaster, they were promised a coach, but 30 minutes later arrangements were changed and all those going as far as Skipton were to get taxis and the rest would have to get two trains to Leeds.

After going via Manchester, they arrived in Leeds at 11.46pm where they were put into a taxi.

"We arrived home at 1am, emotionally and physically wrecked. It has taken us all a further 24 hours to recover from this experience.

"We decided to use the train this time because there was a big group of use and we thought it would be a treat. But after this I'll never subject my family to a train again," he added.

Arriva Trains Northern managing director Ray Price said the cancellation was due to a breakdown.

He said: "We apologise for the inconvenience and would ask that any customers who were on this journey should contact our customer relations department on 0870 6023322."