A courageous train driver ushered passengers to safety after a fire forced an emergency stop on the Slough Trading Estate.

The drama unfurled in the early hours of this morning at 1am after fire broke out in the toilet of the London to Paddington train.

As passengers choked on the smoke encircling them the emergency cord was pulled.

Slough Fire Station watch manager Chris Bradshaw said that the driver was able to halt the train on the track adjoining Berwick Avenue in the middle of Slough Trading Estate.

Firefighter Bradshaw said: "There is an access gate at that spot which enabled us to get down the embankment to reach the train.

"The driver had already got the 13 passengers off. Two were suffering from smoke inhalation and had to go to hospital. The other 11 were taken to the nearest McDonalds for coffee by GWR and buses arranged to transport them."

Firefighters from Slough, Langley, Maidenhead and Bracknell had hurried to the scene. Four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus searched the four smoke logged carriages, checking no-one was trapped or injured.

The fire started in a toilet which was totally destroyed - with extensive damage caused to the four affected carriages.

The cause of the fire is a mystery at the moment. Investigators moved in at 3.30am after firefighters had left the scene.