A TRAIN company besieged by strikes has delivered a full timetable for the first time in nine months.

Arriva Trains Northern (ATN) put a temporary timetable in place last October due to a driver shortage which hit three percent of services.

The Transpennine Express Service, through Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley, was hit with some of the twice-hourly services being cancelled.

Normal service has now been resumed and the company has a workforce of 700 drivers -- the highest number since it took over the franchise.

Around 300 new drivers will have completed 12 months training by December.

Ray Price, managing director of ATN, said: "This is a major step forward for our customers, employees and the business.

"Our investment in one of the largest driver recruitment campaigns ever seen in the industry is bringing real benefits.

"I would like to thank our customers for their patience and reassure them that we are concentrating our efforts on delivering robust services and continually improving punctuality and reliability across the network."

ATN has been hit by 12 strikes over pay by conductors this year.