UK police investigate 'pro-Brexit' rail sabotage

British police are investigating after two "malicious" devices were placed on railway tracks in an apparent "pro-Brexit" sabotage attempt.

The obstructions were left on tracks near Yaxley, Cambridgeshire, on March 21 and at Netherfield, Nottinghamshire, on March 27.

They carried the slogans "Government betrayal. Leave means leave" and "We will bring this country to its knees if we don't leave", which were printed, not handwritten.

Police said staff at Network Rail identified the devices which were "intended to cause disruption" to train services and added that the saboteurs had "put their life at risk" to plant the obstructions. Detectives are now hunting the offenders before they strike again or injure themselves.

Assistant chief constable Sean O'Callaghan of the British Transport police, said: "This was a serious and deliberate attempt by someone to cause significant sabotage and disruption to Britain's rail network.

"We are urgently investigating the circumstances behind both incidents and are working extremely closely with our national partners, including the rail industry.

"It is important to highlight that these acts were intended only to delay services and not cause damage to the infrastructure, however this failed on both occasions. The railway has a number of substantial safeguards in place to prevent and detect this type of sabotage and we are now working tirelessly to identify those responsible.

"We're are currently keeping an open mind on why someone would put their life at risk to place these items on a live railway, however our early assessment has led us to believe it relates to Britain's exit from the European Union. We'll continue to monitor this situation extremely closely and have circulated advice to rail operators and indeed Network Rail."

The devices were being examined by forensic officers to see if they offered clues about who was behind the sabotage attempts.

Reports suggest the devices were meant to disrupt circuitry used on train tracks but failed. Those behind the sabotage attempt, sources say, had some knowledge of how train tracks work and one line of inquiry is that they may have been connected to the rail industry.

Senior police are understood to be concerned about potential disorder as Britain leaves the European Union.

On March 29, the day Britain was supposed to leave the EU, a flag-waving Brexit protester attempted to halt Eurostar trains out of London St Pancras by climbing on to a station roof.

The Brexiteer carried a St George's (English national) flag on to a roof over the tracks, then spent nearly 12 hours in a stand-off with police. After he was arrested, he told officers he was angry at politicians for ruining Brexit.