Balaclava-clad man with life-sized cut-out of the Queen caused train delays

A man wearing a balaclava and carrying a life-sized cut-out of the Queen was dragged from a Metro train in Newcastle by police on Friday morning, eye-witnesses say.



Passengers say the front of the train was evacuated when the man boarded the Metro at South Gosforth and commuters moved into another carriage until police arrived at the scene. A witness on the train said that the man, who was said to be carrying a cardboard cut-out of the Queen, was removed from the Metro by police officers.

They said at least six police officers dragged the man from the station and that he was still wearing the balaclava while being escorted out. Two police vans and a police car were seen outside the station, and passengers reported delays of at least 20 minutes. A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "At 8.25am, police received reports of a man being abusive to Metro staff and passengers at South Gosforth Metro Station.



"Officers attended and the man was arrested." A Metro spokesman added: “There were some delays across the system when a train had to be held for 17 minutes at South Gosforth Metro station due to a public order incident which required the attendance of the police. A male passenger was being disorderly on board the train and was arrested at the scene.”