Dozens of rail commuters were evacuated from the Midland’s busiest railway station after an escalator overheated setting off alarms.

Firefighters were called to Birmingham New Street station just after 8.10pm, after smoke had been seen billowing out of escalators down to platforms 8 and 9.

The station was fully cleared and trains were forced to wait or be diverted while four fire crews investigated the cause, which was found to be overheated brakes on the escalator. The incident lasted for less than 40 minutes.