Contracted out cleaners on TransPennine Express (TPE) services have suspended their strike action following an improved offer.

Bidvest Noonan which employs cleaners to work on TPE services has offered more money backdated in the first year and from November have agreed to implement a "living wage" of £12 an hour.

The improved offer also contains staff travel facilities which will save cleaners £1,000 a year for rail travel and the company has pledged talks with the union and TPE to develop a roadmap for reaching £15 per hour.

RMT is recommending members accept the offer and scheduled strike action has now been suspended.

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RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "Our members fortitude and resilience in standing up for themselves has forced their employer to make this new offer.

"They will now have the opportunity to decide in a referendum whether they want to accept the new offer."

Bidvest Noonan cleaners at TPE will now vote in the referendum with a deadline of Tuesday, February 13