A tram was evacuated last night after its path was blocked by a car which had been abandoned on the tracks.

The tram travelling from Wimbledon to New Addington was forced to stop just before the Reeves Corner stop in Croydon after the car was ditched by its driver who had driven it up the raised section of tracks.

It is understood the motorist, believed to be a woman, ran away after the car ground to a halt halfway up the sloped rails at about 10.30pm on Friday.

Passengers on the tram, which had stopped for ten minutes, were asked to leave the vehicle and find an alternative route home.

Police were called to the incident and a TfL truck eventually dragged the trapped car off the rails to allow the tram to continue its journey.