Essex rail passengers are being warned not to travel tomorrow unless "absolutely necessary" as strike action is set to cause severe disruption.

There will be a reduced c2c service in south Essex tomorrow from 07.30am to 6.30pm due to nationwide industrial action.

Just two trains will run per hour from Fenchurch Street to Shoebury via Laindon as well as from Fenchurch Street to Pitsea via Rainham.

No trains will run via Ockendon or Chafford Hundred.

There will also be no c2c trains available after the West Ham match.

Greater Anglia will be running a heavily reduced service of one train per hour between London Liverpool Street and Norwich, Colchester and Southend Victoria. 

Trains will run from 7.30am, with all last trains completing their journey by 6.30pm.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "On Saturday October 1, Wednesday 5 and Saturday 8, there will be a very limited service with no services at all in some places. On Saturday October 1, only about 11 per cent of services will operate.

"Please only travel by train if your journey is absolutely necessary, plan ahead and check before you travel.

"On the days that follow strike action (Sunday October 2, Thursday 6 and Sunday 9), you should also expect disruption due to the knock-on impact of industrial action on shift patterns."

Those travelling to the London Marathon on Sunday have also been warned, as services will start later than usual in the morning. 

The first c2c train will be the 06.35am service from Southend Central which arrives at Fenchurch Street at 07.32am or the 06.37am from Shoebury which will arrive at Fenchurch Street at 07.35am. 

A c2c spokesman said: "We will be offering London Marathon runners free travel on October 2, to qualify you will need to show your race bib/number at the station when you travel."

The strike action on October 5 will not affect c2c services but trains may be busier than usual due to the impact on Greater Anglia trains.