A STRIKE by railway workers which threatened to bring all services in Essex to a standstill has been called off.

The RMT and TSSA unions had called a 24-hour strike, starting at 5pm on Monday, after rejecting pay proposals from Network Rail.

But the industrial action, which would have seen 19,000 workers nationwide strike, was called off after the company tabled an improved offer.

Greater Anglia had announced its entire network would shutdown at noon on Monday if the strike went ahead.

Virtually all trains would have been cancelled on Tuesday, potentially leaving commuters unable to get to work after the Bank Holiday.

Essex rail operator c2c had also warned of mass cancellations and “severe disruption” to services, advising people not to travel by train on Monday or Tuesday.

The strike had been called after a pay offer, which would have seen staff given a £500 lump sum this year, followed by rises in line with inflation in 2016, 2017 and 2018, was rejected.

But this afternoon, after four days of negotiations with Network Rail, the unions announced they were calling off the strike after an improved offer was tabled.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "Following talks, RMT has received a revised offer that enables us to suspend the planned industrial action while we consult in full with our Network Rail representatives."

The cancellation of the strike means both Essex operators will run a Sunday service on Bank Holiday Monday, with normal services resuming on Tuesday.