A pair of crafty university students pulled off a jaw-dropping £140,000 train ticket scam by cashing in twice on delayed journeys. Chinese students Li Liu, 26, and Wanqing Yu, 25, "exploited a loophole" in the rail refund system to make a small fortune while living together at their student flat in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Under the national 'Delay Repay' scheme, passengers can claim compensation when a train arrives late. But Lu and Yiu discovered there were not automatic cross-checks to find out whether a customer had already had their ticket refunded - a flaw that proved key to their con.

The pair would first claim refunds for train tickets - pretending they no longer wanted to travel - then pocket extra cash by applying for Delay Repay compensation on the same journeys if the trains ran late, Leeds Crown Court heard.

When British Transport Police finally arrested them, it was found that Liu had illegally acquired £141,031, while Yu had received £15,712. The duo, who were both held on remand since their arrest, admitted charges of conspiracy to defraud and possession...