Manchester Piccadilly train station was closed for several hours due to a large protest on the tracks, affecting customers across the UK.

Campaigners waving flags gathered on the tracks in a protest in response to Turkey’s war on Syrian Kurds.

Some protesters held a banner reading: “Stop Turkey from helping Isis terrorists.”

British Transport Police were called to the scene.

A BTP spokesperson said: “We were called to Manchester Piccadilly station shortly after 1pm on Sunday following reports of protesters trespassing on the tracks.

“The station has been closed while officers at the scene work to ensure their safe removal and the reopening of the station.”

National Rail said: “A trespass incident at Manchester Piccadilly is causing major disruption to trains at the station.

“Trains may be amended, cancelled or delayed by up to 60 minutes.”

British Transport Police said all protesters were safely removed from the tracks and the station had reopened.

Friends of Kurdistan Manchester, a solidarity group, said around 400 protesters gathered in an international day of action in defence of Afrin in north-west Syria, where Turkey launched a military offensive against the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units or YPG two months ago.

Turkey’s intent to clear them from the area has been described as ethnic cleansing by those sympathetic to the Kurds.

Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria – in pictures Show all 9 1 /9 Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria – in pictures Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria – in pictures Smoke billows following a Turkish airstrike on a village in the Afrin district, on 28 January, 2018. Turkey launched operation "Olive Branch" on January 20 against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in Afrin, supporting Syrian opposition fighters with ground troops and air strikes AFP Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria – in pictures Smoke billows from surrounding villages during the Turkish military operation against the Kurdish enclave on 28 January, 2018 AFP/Getty Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria – in pictures Twenty-year old Kifah al-Moussa, a Syrian Arab woman living among the Kurds of Afrin province, was working on a chicken farm in the village of Maryameen when a Turkish aircraft bombed the building at midday on 21 January, wounding her in the chest. When she recovered consciousness, she found eight people from one family lying dead around her Yara Ismail Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria – in pictures Mohamed Hussein, a 58-year-old Kurdish farmer, lies in the Afrin hospital, wounded in the head and eye after his home was bombed by Turkish aircraft on the second night of the attack Yara Ismail Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria – in pictures Syrian Kurds sit on benches overlooking a street in Afrin, on 28 January, 2018. Above is a memorial to ‘martyrs’ who died in the fight against Isis AFP/Getty Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria – in pictures Smoke is seen rising on the Syrian side of the border, at Hassa, near Hatay, southern Turkey as Turkish jet fighters hit People's Protection Unit (YPG) positions, on 28 January, 2018 AFP/Getty Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria – in pictures A Turkish made T-155 Firtina (Storm) howitzer is dispatched to the border at Hassa near Hatay, southern Turkey, on 28 January, 2018 AFP/Getty Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria – in pictures A Turkish soldier waves a flag on Mount Barsaya, northeast of Afrin, on 28 January, 2018 Reuters Turkish attack on Afrin, northern Syria – in pictures Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army fighters are seen in Barsaya mountain, northeast of Afrin, on 28 January, 2018 Reuters

A spokesman for Friends of Kurdistan Manchester told The Independent: “Today is an international day of action in defence of Afrin, a canton in the north of Syria which has been under attack by Turkey for six weeks, alongside its allies in the Free Syrian Army.

“They have been using air strikes and ground troops against civilians. There have been hundreds of civilian casualties and documentation of war crimes.

They added: “This is an international day of protest to break the silence of the international community which hasn’t put any pressure on Turkey to stop what it is doing.

“It’s an attempt to break the silence and raise the issue in people’s consciousness.