A disabled woman says she was forced to sit in the driver's cab during a train journey to Skegness because it was so overcrowded.

Chris Varney - who has arthritis - was forced to make the move because only two of the normal six carriages on the service were available.

She got on at Derby - but says the problems just got worse once the train arrived at Nottingham.

Central trains apologised to all passengers saying the situation was aggravated because four carriages broke down.

It was quite frightening when the doors opened and there was this great rush for the two coaches

Chris Varney

Mrs Varney caught the train at Derby at 0815 BST on Wednesday morning.

She was on a day trip to the seaside with her daughter and grandchildren.

When the two-carriage train pulled up, it was already standing room only.

She said: "It was quite frightening when the doors opened and there was this great rush for the two coaches.

"It got even worse as more and more people got on board.

"They kept trying to get down to the end of the train where we were standing.

"It was a real nightmare."

Train abandoned

When more people got on at Nottingham the driver offered a seat in his cab to Mrs Varney.

At Boston, they were told to get off and were taken by coach to their destination.

Central Trains have apologised saying that because of breakdowns there were only 150 seats instead of the usual 450.

They have promised to reimburse travellers for the price of their ticket.