POLICE rescued a terrified woman from the clutches of a kidnapper in a dramatic late night swoop on York Station.

Astonished passengers watched as officers pounced on a train they had halted at the station last night, and arrested a man holding a woman against her will.

Train staff were said to have locked the doors of the First TransPennine Express service from Leeds to Newcastle, which arrived at York ten minutes before midnight.

The woman, who British Transport Police said was part of a witness protection scheme, was freed unharmed by officers of the British Transport Police and North Yorkshire Police. They were responding to a request from Cleveland Police, who today confirmed that a man, believed to be 36 years of age, had been arrested in connection with "a serious offence".

Eye-witnesses on the train said officers with dogs prowled the train for nearly 30 minutes before arresting a man and freeing the woman.

A BTP spokesman said: "We took a call at about 11.30pm last night from Cleveland Police to say that a female who was part of the witness protection scheme had been kidnapped by a male and they were both on the train at York.

"We had two officers at the scene and arrested the male, while freeing the female. She was fine and not injured at all. There were also no injuries to passengers. We asked North Yorkshire Police to assist us and the victim was later escorted back to the north-east by Cleveland Police officers."

One passenger, who was on board the train at York, said it had stopped on tracks near The Mount for about 15 minutes before the hold-up at York Station.

"There were a number of police on the platform. They looked as if they were expecting trouble. I didn't see whether they arrested anyone."

He added that two police officers, wearing flak-jackets and carrying extended batons, walked up and down the train twice before the doors were unlocked and passengers were allowed to leave the train.

A TransPennine Express spokesman said: "We stopped the train at the request of the transport police. It was stopped for around 25 minutes and two people were taken away."

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that a man was arrested in connection with a serious offence. He is currently being questioned by police and inquiries are ongoing."

Updated: 14:39 Friday, February 13, 2004