THE WORLD'S oldest pier train is back in action following repairs to the 120-year-old Hythe Pier.

White Horse Ferries Ltd was forced to take the famous electric train out of service after part of the pier failed a safety check.

Hampshire County Council expressed concern about the state of ironwork directly beneath the track.

Passengers had to walk along the pier - the seventh longest in the world - while repairs were carried out to part of the structure's latticework.

Now, after more than week in the sidings, the three-coach train has resumed the service it has been providing for 79 years.

White Horse director Lloyd Lay said: "The train has made 12 million trips and carried 40 million passengers since it started operating in 1922. It's probably the most reliable train in the country.

"But the pier was built 120 years ago, so it's inevitable that a bit of routine maintenance will be needed from time to time."

Mr Lay said that he wished to apologise to elderly and disabled passengers for any inconvenience that they had suffered while the train was out of action and that they would enjoy future trips.