FARES on the Severn Valley Railway's Kidderminster to Bridgnorth line will rise by 40p to £10 for an adult return.

The increase has been blamed, indirectly, on the foot and mouth outbreak. It caused coal prices to rise by 20 per cent.

SVR marketing manager John Leach said: "When the Government decided that thousands of animal carcasses would have to be burned, they bought up huge stocks of lump coal."

He said the railway had also been hit by a 100 per cent rise in public liability insurance costs caused by the "huge growth" in the number of firms promoting no win, no fee accident claims.