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A rail replacement bus service caused trains to be suspended after its roof was ripped off after crashing into a railway bridge.

Merseyrail trains were halted between Rock Ferry and Birkenhead Central just after 12pm this afternoon following the crash.

Dramatic photos show the double decker’s roof lying on the road as shocked onlookers watch the emergency services respond.

Merseyrail initially warned passengers services between the two stations were facing disruption “due to a vehicle striking a bridge”.

Witnesses then contacted the ECHO with photos from St Paul’s Road in Rock Ferry – revealing the vehicle responsible for causing the delays was a rail replacement bus.

The full length of the double decker’s roof could be seen lying on the road, with the roofless bus cordoned off by officers from Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire and Rescue.

One man said there was an ambulance on the scene, though Merseyrail has confirmed there were no passengers on board at the time of the incident.

A spokeswoman for Merseyrail confirmed the bus involved was a rail replacement service that was set to serve passengers hit by the closure of Hamilton Square station.

She said: “The bus was empty at the time. It had a problem earlier in the day and it was coming from the garage to Hamilton Square.”

Merseyrail told passengers services had returned to normal on the Wirral line on Twitter at around 1.15pm.