A section of the railtrack wall at Dawlish has been damaged as Storm Ingrid unleashed heavy seas on the exposed railway line.

The collapse of part of the railtrack wall at Sea Lawn Terrace has left debris on the railway and allowed sea water to ingress onto the line.

Trains between Exeter and Dawlish were suspended last night due to the forecast severe weather conditions.

A spokesperson from Network Rail said engineers would be carrying out a safety inspection after 2pm this afternoon (Saturday January 24). ‘There doesn’t appear to be any damage to the structure of the railway track but the sea has deposited a large amount of chunky debris onto the track,’ a Network Rail spokesperson said.

‘Where this section of line sits, there has to be quite a specific combination of wind waves and tides for damage to be sustained,’ he added.

The train service between Exeter and Newton Abbot will continue to be suspended until at least late this afternoon when safety inspectors have properly assessed the situation.

‘Customers due to travel today can use their tickets on Sunday or Monday,’ a GWR spokesperson confirmed. ‘There is also a replacement bus service in place, although the coach journey can take a bit longer,’ the GWR spokesperson added. Train tickets will also be accepted on Stagecoach South West bus services 2, 7 and 12.

Millions of pounds have been invested in securing the vulnerable seaside train line near Dawlish after a devastating breach closed the line after a storm in February 2014. Works have included the construction of a new sea wall and extensive work on the station at Dawlish.

However, last year, the government pulled funding for the fifth phase of work to shore up cliffs between Dawlish and Teignmouth saying it needed to focus its investment on other projects around the country.