PASSENGERS are being 'strongly urged' to avoid using trains today and tomorrow after a number of incidents caused major disruption.

South West Trains services heading to London Waterloo are facing severe disruption, which is expected to remain until the end of service on Wednesday, August 16, after two trains collided.

No-one has been injured in the incident between the train and a freight train near Waterloo.

Trains have been cancelled, delayed and revised, with South West Trains warning disruption will continue throughout Wednesday.

A spokesperson for South West Trains said: "South West Trains and Network Rail are currently advising passengers not to travel to and from Waterloo today or tomorrow (Wednesday, 16 August) after a passenger train struck a stationary barrier train at very low speed and became partially derailed at 5.40am this morning.

"Work to 're-rail' the train is underway this afternoon. Network Rail will then need to examine what, if any, damage was caused to the track.

"The incident happened as the train was pulling away from its platform at Waterloo. There were no injuries to the 23 passengers or two members of staff on board the train.

"The barrier train was in place to separate the ongoing engineering works at Waterloo from the operational train services.

"A very limited service is now running to and from Waterloo, which is expected for the rest of today and tomorrow.

"An investigation to establish the cause of the incident is underway. It would not be appropriate to speculate on the cause of the incident at this time.

"Upgrade work to extend platforms at Waterloo continues."

A separate points problem has been caused by a fault on one of the lines approaching London Waterloo.

This means that South West Trains are unable to use one of the 5 lines into and out of the station. This is expected to cause some delays to services, while trains use the available lines.

Queuing is likely to be in place at London Waterloo, Vauxhall, Clapham, Wimbledon, Raynes Park, New Malden, Surbiton, Esher, Woking, Wandsworth Town and Putney.