Cumbrian racegoers could face travel misery heading to the Grand National as rail union members plan to hold a fresh walk out.

A bitter dispute over the role of conductors and plans to introduce driver-only trains by 2020 threatens to disrupt one of the world's most famous race days on April 8.

RMT members from Arriva Trains North - operator of Northern Rail - will join Southern and Merseyrail members for the 24-hour strike.

Craig Johnston, of the RMT in Cumbria, said members have been left with no choice.

"We don't want to be engaged in industrial action at all," he said. "Nobody wants to be in this situation but no one has been able to give us any alternative.

"If you are going to take industrial action it's got to be on a day when people notice. [Rail bosses] have got time to avoid this strike by coming to a reasonable, sensible, settlement of the dispute. But if they don't, expect more of this."

Merseyrail boss Jan Chaudhrey criticised the timing, saying the RMT had "sunk to a new low" striking during British horse racing's top event.