SCHOOLGIRL Phillipa Mugan told train bosses "mum's the word" after winning a competition to name a diesel unit.

And her mother Lesley had only one thing to say after being told of her daughter's tribute -- "I'm chuffed."

Phillipa, 11, of Burnley Road, Accrington, said she thought "mum" was an appropriate name for a train because her mother Lesley, was reliable and always brought the teenager to her destination on time.

First North Western trains are hoping the Mount Carmel High School pupil is on the right track about the performance of the new fleet of 27 class 175 trains which have been launched over the last 12 months at a cost of £70million.

They turned up at Blackpool North railway station to launch the train which will spend its working life running between Blackpool, Manchester Airport, the North Wales Coast and the Lake District.

It was the fourth of the state-of-the art units to be named, with Mum joining Valhalla and Commonwealth Cruiser, also named by school children from the North West.

Another train was named Brief Encounter by First North Western.

When Mrs Mugan picked up a leaflet at Accrington Asda 18 months ago she had no idea her daughter's choice would beat off the competition from 1,000 other youngsters from the North West with her choice.

She was even more delighted when she found out Phillipa's final year class at St Anne's and St Joseph's Roman Catholic primary school, Sandy Lane, Accrington won an all expenses trip to Blackpool Pleasure Beach in June as part of her prize. Her mum -- who looked on with Phillipa's Auntie Jacqui and her 12-year-old cousin Michaela -- said: "I'm just so excited. She is a little sweetie. She was flavour of the month with her school friends." The sports therapist, who works in Accrington, added: "Mum is going to be on the side of the train for the whole of its working life. And it's really quite appropriate because it's as if I operate a taxi service for Phillipa and her three brothers Joe, Matthew and Alec." And the teenager added: "I'm very happy and my classmates are very impressed too. Mum is reliable and gets me to where I need to be including school, netball practice and the girl guides."

Martin MacKenzie, customer relations manager for First North Western, said: "The judges were touched by Phillipa's description of her mum as 'reliable'. We have got to live up to the name now.