Planned strikes by Southern Railway drivers and guards have been suspended to allow talks with the Transport Secretary in a bid to resolve bitter disputes over staffing and pay.

Members of Aslef are also ending a ban on overtime which has disrupted services over the past few weeks.

They were due to walk out on August 1, 2 and 4 after rejecting a pay offer.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union were also due to take fresh industrial action in the coming weeks.

Both unions are embroiled in a long-running dispute over staffing and driver-only trains.

The RMT said it had been contacted by Chris Grayling inviting general secretary Mick Cash to a meeting subject to the suspension of the planned industrial action.

A statement by the union's executive said: "We therefore suspend the industrial action called for Tuesday 1st August, Wednesday 2nd August, and Friday 4th August, and instruct the general secretary to arrange the meeting and to place back before this NEC an update on the progress of the talks by Tuesday 1st August."

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