Commuter services running between Ipswich and Felixstowe were cancelled because a freight train derailed at the Port of Felixstowe.

Replacement buses provided passengers with transport but drivers did not call at Westerfield.

A spokesman for rail operator, Greater Anglia, said there had been a backlog of freight services at the port because of an “operating incident”.

A decision was made to allow freight trains to travel to reduce the backlog as there is only a single line between Felixstowe and Ipswich.

A spokesman for the Port of Felixstowe said: “There was a rail derailment of a freight train at about 9pm last night. That prevented any further trains from getting into the central and north terminals. That incident was cleared at about 5am when full movement of trains resumed into all three terminals.”

He said a “number of trains” would usually have been coming in and out of the port overnight but were prevented because of the “low speed” derailment.

Greater Anglia advised customers to use the East Suffolk railway line to travel to Lowestoft, to then change at Ipswich, for a replacement bus to Felixstowe.

Commuter trains had been expected to resume just before 10am.