A DISABLED man said he had to be carried off a train by another passenger after rail staff were not available to help him.

Robert Earle said he was appalled by his treatment at the hands of GNER workers on a late-night trip from York to Darlington.

The 39-year-old, who uses walking sticks due to a hip problem, said he called Darlington station two days before his journey to say he would need help getting on and off the train.

But, as he prepared to board the GNER service at York, which had been delayed 90 minutes, from 11pm to 12.30am, he said a member of staff told him that no one was available to help.

"The station manager said there was no one around to help at that time of night. In the end the transport police helped me on to the train."

Mr Earle said that once on the train he asked a guard to organise assistance for him at the other end - but when the train pulled into Darlington at 2.15am, no one was there.

"Another passenger and his girlfriend lifted me off the train," said Mr Earle, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

"I paid my money so I think I should have got the help I needed. I'm disgusted at my treatment."

GNER spokesman David Mallender said Mr Earle should have called a special hotline - 0845 7225444 - and not the station to tell staff of his journey.

"We are certainly very sorry to hear that he's had problems travelling with us, but we do need to know that people are coming," he said.