Elizabeth line officially opens to public as first trains run on London's £19bn railway

The first trains have started operating on London's Elizabeth line railway - formerly known as Crossrail.

It will slash many journey times in the capital but is three-and-a-half years late and £4bn over budget.

The line stretches from Reading and Heathrow Airport, through central London, to Abbey Wood in southeast London and Shenfield in Essex.

A crowd of about 300 gathered outside Paddington Station in an attempt to be on the first train.

It departed on time at 6.33am, with excited transport enthusiasts recording the moment on social media.