COMMUTERS were left stunned at Ipswich station today when they were told their trains were delayed not because of leaves - but Llamas.

Neil Puffett

COMMUTERS were left stunned at Ipswich station today when they were told their trains were delayed not because of leaves - but Llamas.

Trains between Ipswich and Cambridge were held up for around half an hour after the driver of a National Express East Anglia train spotted an unusual trespasser on the line near Baylham at about 6.50am.

However the Llama explanation turned out to be a bit woolly when it was later confirmed that the uninvited visitor was not an exotic South American animal, rather a solitary goat.

A spokeswoman for National Express East Anglia said: “Initial reports said either a llama or a sheep on the line but later reports said the errant animal was actually a goat.

“Obviously it was a case of mistaken identity.

“It's not unheard of for there to be animals on the line because we operate in rural areas and it does happen every now and again.

“I think we have probably had farm animals on the line before but I have never heard of any llamas on the track before.”

Bizarrely the scene of the drama was just a few hundred metres from Baylham Rare Breeds Farm, which has three alpacas - prompting fears one of the animals - resembling small llamas - may have escaped.

That fear was soon allayed when the alpacas were all accounted for.

Ann Storer, at the farm, said: “They are on the other side of the river so there is no way they would have crossed it and got on to the line.”

Trains in the area were immediately while a Network Rail employee removed the goat from the line.

Services resumed as normal by 7.20am.