Fare-evading squirrels staged a mutiny onboard a train bound for Gatwick - even attacking rush-hour commuters on their way to work.

The service had to be cancelled by transport bosses after attempts to shoo the rampaging rodents from the train proved unsuccessful.

Passengers onboard Great Western Railway's 8.54am service to Gatwick Airport on Monday were caught off-guard when the unwelcome passengers boarded the rear carriage and started to cause a stir.

Read more: Woman terrorised by squirrel on 13th floor balcony - 'it keeps leaving nuts'

One commuter described the "pandemonium" onboard to The Sun newspaper after the squirrels got on at Gomshall, in Surrey. "The squirrels got into the rear carriage and attacked people," they said.

"All the passengers ran off the train and got another carriage."

The conductor surrendered the back carriage to the bushy-tailed ticket dodgers, locking the doors while the service continued to the Sussex airport.

The squirrel was in violation of railway byelawsThe squirrel was in violation of railway byelaws (Image: Great Western Railway)

At Redhill, a Network Rail staff member managed to coax one the critters off the Class 165 train after half an hour of tussling with sticks, brooms and even nuts.

Rail staff made the decision to cut the train's journey short and turn it around at Redhill, around five miles north of Gatwick so its return would not be delayed.

This meant that holidaymakers bound for the airport had to change onto a slower train and risked missing their check-in times.

A spokesman for Great Western Railway said: "We can confirm that the 8.54am Reading to Gatwick was terminated at Redhill after a couple of squirrels boarded the train at Gomshall without tickets, breaching railway byeclaws.

"We attempted to remove them at Redhill, but one refused to leave and was returned to Reading to bring an end to this nutty tale."

Data released by Network Rail last month showed that animals were responsible for trespassing on the railway four times per day, on average - causing extensive delays and even cancellations.

Although this data does not account for our them actually travelling on the trains...