Mind the cat! Train taken out of service after feline spotted on roof

A cat was a whisker away from a 125mph ride on the roof of a train when it was spotted at London Euston station on Tuesday evening.

The fearless feline was seen curled up on top of an Avanti West Coast train half an hour before it was due to leave for Manchester.

The train was taken out of service and replaced with only a slight delay – but while passengers were able to continue their journey, the cat stayed put.

Having avoided a high-speed dash up north, it remained perilously close to the 25,000 volt overhead lines which power the trains.

After two and a half hours, the meandering mog eventually alighted the train and went about its business after a bin was brought alongside the carriages to act as a makeshift platform.

The purr-petrator was seen “swaggering off”, according to station staff, although it is still not known how it reached the top of the train.

“We often have to deal with birds inside the station but in all my time here this is the first train surfing cat!” said Joe Hendry, Network Rail station manager for Euston.

“Thankfully curiosity didn’t kill this cat and we’re glad it avoided using up one of its nine lives thanks to the swift action of the station team and Avanti West Coast staff who organised for passengers to get on to a different train for the rescue to take place.”