Commuters have voiced their frustration at the lack of communication after a main route was blocked due to a train hitting a deer.

Passengers faced long delays of more than 100 minutes on Tuesday after a Greater Anglia Class 321 train was damaged after hitting the animal between Ipswich and Needham Market at around 5.45pm.

Over the course of the evening services were subject to severe delays short notice alterations and cancellations.

The line remained partially closed for the majority of the evening, reopening at 10.45pm. The damaged train was removed from service.

Passengers on the 4.30pm train between Liverpool Street and Norwich had to be evacuated and placed on another train.

Julie Bremmer, from Norwich, was on the 5pm train which stopped at Ipswich and arrived back home at 9pm.

She said she took matters 'into her own hands' and ordered a taxi back to Norwich, costing £85.

The public sector worker said: "I travel every week to London. There have been ongoing problems and I just feel they [Greater Anglia] do not seem to be ready for anything.

"It hit a deer and that is not in their control, however it is how they responded to it.

"I had a table I was working. Then they said to get off the train. You then realise how many people are on the train when standing on the platform, freezing and there is no information

"I had my back up plan, they made this announcement of rail replacement buses so I phoned a taxi and said 'who wants to go to Norwich?' Three guys and I shared the taxi and cost back to the station."

Greater Anglia tried to provide rail replacement buses at Norwich, Ipswich and Cambridge stations but said it was unable to.

A Greater Anglia spokesperson said: "We apologise to passengers who were affected by delays and cancellations yesterday.

"During disruption it can be difficult to give exact timings when services will resume.

"One track was blocked yesterday by the damaged train. We were able to run our trains on the other track - known as single line working - with permission from Network Rail.

"We are sorry for the inconvenience caused."

They advised customers affected to claim through its delay replay scheme.