The Government has been urged to allow trains to stop at the Lancashire railway station made famous by Brief Encounter.

Tory David Morris said Carnforth Station should be included on the West Coast mainline route to boost the local economy.

The historic station was made famous in the 1945 romantic classic starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard.

Its mainline platforms were closed and removed in 1970 prior to electrification of the West Coast Main Line and the station gradually fell into disrepair.

But the local community pulled together to restore it and the Brief Encounter Refreshment Room and Visitor Centre was opened in 2003.

In a short Commons debate, Mr Morris (Morecambe and Lunesdale) said stations like Carnforth could be added to the main line if high speed rail was brought to northern England.

He promised that local residents would not become a "begging bowl" for public money.

"We will raise our own funds for our project - that is unheard of but we can do this," he said.

"We've already rebuilt the station from a shell and we can relay the platforms."

Junior transport minister Norman Baker said it was vital to consider whether a stop at Carnforth would work "operationally and commercially".