EAST Lancashire train users will be hit by two days of strikes next Wednesday and Saturday.

The 24-hour strikes are part of a long-running dispute over pay between the 700 conductors belonging to the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union and Arriva Trains Northern.

The first day of the industrial action was moved from Friday so a 48-hour disruption could be avoided.

A train company spokesperson said that they will not know which services are affected until Monday.

Arriva runs the Trans Pennine service that calls at Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley and operates trains from Liverpool and Manchester to Blackburn.