A VISIT to Weston-super-Mare to make a donation to a Jill Dando charity fund turned into a train ride from hell for a group of Preston day trippers.

Instead of spending a day beside the seaside, carriage-loads of local sun seekers were forced to endure a 17-hour nightmare journey on Britain's troubled rail network.

Dozens of locals had booked to take part in the charity day trip to Bath and Weston-super-Mare, which picked up passengers in Preston, Bamber Bridge and Leyland before heading south.

Many passengers had planned to take donations in memory of murdered TV presenter Jill Dando, who grew up in Weston-super-Mare, to the Weston Hospice, a cause she supported.

But their plans were scuppered as their train ride was hit by a series of problems, including:

A 90-minute wait at Didcot, while their train's brakes were fixed

Another delay, just 15 minutes later, when a steam engine set alight an embankment in front of them.

A hold-up because a vehicle had hit a railway bridge near Bath and

An electrical fire in one of the train's carriages, bringing it to a standstill for 90 minutes at Temple Meads station, Bristol.

Eventually all plans to reach Weston-Super-Mare and handing over the charity cash to the hospice were scrapped.

Ian Stocks, church warden of St James's Church, Blackburn, who organises the popular day trips, said: "It was very frustrating but there was nothing we could do.

"The passengers remained in good humour and were exceptionally patient in what turned out to be very difficult circumstances.

"We took it like English people - cool and calm."

The passengers arrived home after midnight.

The West Coast Railways Company, who supplied the train, said an inquiry was being carried out.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.