Rail passengers are used to being given all sorts of reasons for delays - but 'lion on the line' doesn't tend to be one of them.

Travellers hoping to alight at Shepley in West Yorkshire on Sunday night were briefly unable to reach their destination after West Yorkshire Police received a call at 3.30pm on Sunday from a woman who thought she saw a lion.

After passing those reports on the National Rail the train operator duly sent them out via Twitter.

"Passengers are currently unable to alight from trains at Shepley due to reports by police of a lion in the area," the official National Rail account reported at around 5pm.

This sent Twitter into a (predictable) frenzy.

"I've lost a lion in the Shepley area, can anyone help?" asked @JennyColgan, cheekily.

Others made an attempt to be helpful.

"If a lion knocks on your door, and you live in Shepley, don't answer the door. It's not Halloween anymore," said @LukeBozier.,

Police took the call seriously. The search lasted almost two hours and around 12 officers were dispatched, as was a police helicopter.

But by 5.15 no lions were found and there were no additional sightings, so the police ended its inquiry.

At the news National Rail confirmed all was clear - again, via Twitter.

"West Yorks Police report the area is now clear and trains can call normally at Shepley," they said.

But for anyone still concerned, and for anyone who happens to run into a lion in the Shepley area, we recommend getting in touch with the police directly.