Train operator London Midland is offering bargain tickets for travel in April and May.

It says it is its biggest ever on-line ticket sale.

Highlights of the sale include prices as low as £3 one-way from Birmingham to London and £5.50 one-way from Liverpool to London.

Prices for thousands of off-peak and advance tickets have been reduced by up to 50% for travel between 9 April and 31 May.

Other examples of the discounted fares include: Birmingham to Stratford £3.50 return, Birmingham to London £18.10 return, Crewe to London £22.20 return and Stafford to London £20.10 return.

To publicise the sale, London Midland is be running a television advert – the first time the company has ever used television advertising.

The adverts in the ITV West Midlands area, can be seen at LMA

"There are some fantastic bargains to be had," said London Midland commercial director Richard Brooks. "With prices from as low as £3 for a ticket to London, massive savings are possible on a family day trip.”

Tickets are available from LMsale Railcard discounts can be applied.

The London Midland network includes the West Coast man line and stretches from Liverpool to London and across the Midlands, with services running to destinations including Birmingham, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Hereford, Stratford-upon-Avon, Milton Keynes and Northampton.

LM manages 147 stations and operate over 1,300 services a day. 

It is owned by Govia, the partnership between the Go-Ahead Group and Keolis.

Information from London Midland.