A UK heritage steam was put at risk of "derailment" after thieves made away with more than 1,200 fixtures, which safely secure the track, when the site was closed. The North Tyneside Steam Railway Association has "worked tirelessly" on Stephenson Steam to reopen in time for the peak tourism period.

Bosses at the family attraction in North Shields told the BBC it could have caused a major accident with "serious consequences". Around 800 screws and 400 keys, which fix the track to the sleepers, were found missing covering 75m of track in the Percy Main area. Michael Darling, a trustee at the railway, said the disappointing theft has put a "damper" on the line reopening on Sunday but hopes they will "bounce back".

Speaking to the news outlet he said: "The main risk is that we could have suffered a serious derailment.

"It's very disappointing. Our volunteers have worked very hard to repair the damage, using the stocks we had, but they're very diminished now.

"All of our volunteers had been really excited to be running on Sunday, so it was a shock and something we could have done without."

The tourist attraction allows visitors to re-live the glorious days of the steam railway during the 1800s by riding 1950s British Railways carriages. If you listen closely you can hear the locomotives work hard climbing the steep gradients.

Security measures have since been increased, which include daily random track patrols and CCTV.

Steam-hauled trains are run by volunteers along a two-mile-long (3.2km) railway from Middle Engine Lane to Percy Main for families and enthusiasts, passing the factories and businesses that it once served.

It's museum is dedicated to the railway pioneers George Stephenson and his son Robert, with one of George's early locomotives, Billy, housed in the museum.

Formed in 1977 The North Tyneside Steam Railway Association provides a volunteer workforce to assist with the maintenance and conservation of locomotives and rolling stock.

Northumbria Police has been contacted for comment.