Tanni Grey-Thompson forced to 'crawl off' train

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson was forced to "crawl off" a LNER train arriving astatine London's King's Cross.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, nan erstwhile Paralympian said she had initially booked assistance to thief her disconnected nan 19:15 train from Leeds, but missed it and alternatively travelled connected nan 19:45.

She said she should person been helped disconnected but aft waiting for 20 minutes, nary 1 arrived truthful she had to effort to disembark herself.

LNER has said it is investigating what happened and said it was "sorry to understand location was an issue" astatine nan station.

Baroness Grey-Thompson, who lives successful Stockton, Teesside, said: "There was nary 1 location to meet maine and I waited 5 minutes earlier putting thing connected societal media because you're meant to time off 5 minutes. After 16 minutes of waiting astatine King's Cross, location was nary 1 successful sight.

"There were a mates of cleaners but they're not insured aliases capable to thief maine off. So I decided that I would crawl disconnected nan train.

"I'm going to Paris later today, I've sewage a fewer bags. I chucked them connected nan platform, I had to get retired of my chair, beryllium connected nan level by nan doorway which is not pleasant and past crawl off."

Although she went connected nan later train, she "had a contract" to beryllium met astatine nan different end.

"Legally I americium allowed to move up and inquire to get connected a train.

"We were meant to person level boarding successful nan UK connected 1 January 2020 nether nan Disability and Discrimination Act but authorities has kicked nan tin down nan road.

"I tin conscionable astir get disconnected nan train if I request to, but location are loads of group that can't.

"I can't really crawl but beryllium connected nan level and resistance my legs. There was nary 1 astir and I was very angry past night.

"If nan train head hadn't seen maine crawling off, I would person had to propulsion nan emergency cord and I would person delayed nan train going north."

An LNER spokesperson said: "We are sorry to understand location has been an rumor astatine London King’s Cross position connected Monday evening.

"We are successful nan process of investigating this and are successful interaction pinch nan customer directly."