Railway bosses were today tight-lipped over reports in a Sunday newspaper regarding a GNER manager based in York.

It was reported that 37-year-old employee relations manager Nigel Stacey began an affair with married bereavement counsellor Louise Young, from Knebworth, while comforting relatives following the fatal Hatfield crash.

A spokesman for GNER confirmed today that Mr Stacey, a married father of two and former train driver from Holtby, near York, was part of the special Bereavement Team which spent a week in Hatfield helping grieving relatives.

"No company controls the private lives of all its staff," the spokesman continued.

"There is no evidence to suggest that anything that may have gone on that involved any of our staff meant that the professionalism of the jobs they did at Hatfield was affected."

Mr Stacey, who began work with British Rail 17 years ago, works on Platform 9 at York station and is responsible for staff and union relations.

He has now moved into a rented home in Carter Avenue, Tang Hall, where Louise Young's red sports car has been seen parked outside by neighbours.

When visited at the former marital home in Holtby, Mr Tracey's wife, Anne Stacey, declined to comment.

Mr Stacey was unavailable for comment either at home or at work.

dan.rutstein@ycp.co.uk