Update 12.00

National Rail is warning that failures affecting computer systems have been disrupting train services, particularly on Govia Thameslink Railway, although other operators also reported problems.

Problems in retrieving driver diagrams, which are the details of duties, routes and timetables for individual drivers, meant that some trains could not run, while real time information displays were also affected.

The failures were part of a much wider series of faults affecting banks and airlines in other countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, India and the USA.

In Britain some airports, broadcasters and medical appointment services have also been affected.

The failures have affected Windows systems, and Microsoft is reported to be using ‘mitigation measures’. The problems have been attributed to a faulty software update issued by cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike.