A Metrolink chief has written to a delayed passenger's boss apologising for him being made late for work.

Cheryl Hubbard wrote to Aidan Higgins' employers saying: "Please accept my sincere apologies for the lateness of Mr Higgins this morning. This was due to Mr Higgins being stranded on a Metrolink tram between Cornbrook and G-Mex stops.

"This was an isolated incident that could not be avoided. I will be sending Mr Higgins complimentary tickets to compensate him."

Mr Higgins, 45, from Weaste, Salford, was left stranded after taking the Eccles-line to work.

The ticket agent, who works for a concert promotion company, complained to Metrolink bosses in Manchester. He told them the 50-minute delay had ruined his perfect attendance record at work.

Aidan said: "The message made me feel like a schoolboy who was late for school. There are still lots of delays.

"I'm at my wits' end trying to get answers about what seems to be constant disruption."

The apology came after he wrote in saying: "In almost five years at the company, I have never been late once. Thanks to your bad service, I have ruined an impeccable record. I'm gutted to say the least."

A spokeswoman for Stagecoach Metrolink, which operates the tram system, said: "Our customer services team is fully trained to help and support our passengers, including where things go wrong, and we always try to help where we can.

"We are committed to delivering a reliable service to our customers. But there is no doubt Metrolink, like all public transport operators, faces a number of challenges every single day where services can be disrupted by a range of factors, from bad weather to vandalism.

"Road traffic incidents, particularly where trams share the street with other road users as is the case with the Eccles line, can also cause significant disruption for our customers.

"However, we are aware that we don't always get everything right and continually strive to improve the service we offer to our passengers."