IRA bomb on railway line in Surrey

Anti-terrorist squad officers were last night investigating a small IRA bomb which exploded on a railway line in Surrey, causing delays for thousands of passengers travelling to and from London.

The device was the first attack on the British mainland since the the disclosure of contacts between the Government and the Provisional leadership. The last mainland attack was on 30 October, when a small bomb exploded in a square in Kensington, west London.

Yesterday's bomb exploded shortly before 3am on the line between Woking and West Byfleet stations in Surrey, creating a crater one foot deep, and damaging one rail. It was discovered later in the morning by BR staff and after a maintenance train had travelled over the crater without incident.