DISHEARTENED by the delays and livid at the late arrivals, train passengers snubbed the standard complaint form to really pack a punch with their protests yesterday.

Weary rail travellers have suffered no end of misery in recent times as Britain's railways have lurched from crisis to crisis.

But relief was at hand at York railway station where Friends of the Earth hung up a giant punch-bag to allow passengers to vent their anger.

The environmental pressure group employed the gimmick to launch its national Stop The Second Great Train Robbery campaign.

It is aiming to highlight what it claims are "years of chronic under-funding and a chaotically privatised rail system".

The punch-bag took a battering yesterday as it found favour with disgruntled passengers.

Kingsley Wilshire, who arrived in York from Huddersfield, said: "It has made me feel a bit better - the Huddersfield to York line does get quite congested.

"My dad was a boxer as well, which has brought back a few memories for me."

Another passenger said: "I'm so frustrated today I could punch anyone, but I'll make do with the bag."

Friends of the Earth said its campaign was already proving successful and urged mobile phone owners to send text messages of complaint to Chancellor Gordon Brown.

Executive director Charles Secrett said: "Rail should be a cheap, efficient, safe and a pleasant way to travel. In the rest of Europe it usually is - in Britain it frequently isn't.

"We think it's about time the Government stopped taking the railways for a ride.