Men, women and children can now travel by train for free to escape domestic abuse.

In a joint initiative between charity Women's Aid and rail companies, those travelling to refuge accommodation can have the cost of their train ticket covered.

To be eligible you must have contacted a domestic abuse service that is a member of Women's Aid, Imkaan or Respect's Men's Advice Line, and have been given accommodation.

The refuge will then book the free train ticket for you, and send the details to your mobile phone for your journey.

You can either use an e-ticket on your phone, or pick up a paper ticket at the station using a debit or credit card.

The ticket can be used as normal, and you are not required to declare how you got it.

The scheme is currently available for Great Western Railway users and went nationwide in April 2020.

It was initially designed to raise another barrier to those escaping abuse who had little or no access to cash.

In the first year of lockdown, the scheme helped 1,348 survivors, including 362 children over the age of five.

To find out more about the Rail to Refuge scheme, click here.

To donate to Women's Aid, click here.