A WOMAN has told of her “extremely stressful” experience as she tried to travel on a train with her mobility scooter.

Sylvia Morrison says she was made to feel “like a burden” and was made nervous by staff who repeatedly told her she might not be able to get on the next train.

The 46-year-old, from Hesketh Avenue, Farnworth, was travelling in her mobility scooter with six others as part of a group run by carer Alison Henderson to support women with mental health difficulties.

The party were going on a day out together in Southport, and had to get Northern trains between Bolton, Hindley and Southport on the way, before stopping at Wigan Wallgate on the way back.

Speaking about the journey, Ms Morrison said the group had been forced to push her up a ramp onto the train because staff would not help.

She added: “We went out on a day trip, Alison has set up her own mental health charity for ladies and she had arranged to take us all out for the day in Southport.

“I paid for a train ticket at Bolton and the ticket seller said they would sort me, but they didn’t. I nearly burst into tears because I don’t get out much as it is. I was looking forward to spending time with some women that I have got to know, and I just felt like I might turn around and go home.

“When we got on at Hindley I had to roll my scooter on and then people had to help me because the staff would not touch me. It was just an extremely stressful travel experience to be honest and then it was the same on the way back. Drivers told I may not be able to get on the train and I started to worry that I would be stranded. They just made me feel like I was a burden.”

Ms Henderson explained that the situation had made the entire group nervous and made Ms Morrison very self-conscious, because staff had repeatedly told them they might not be able to get on their next train.

She said: “They made a massive issue about the scooter and they kept talking about it which made things worse. Sylvia was feeling very self-conscious about it. The driver kept coming to us and saying that this had been going on a lot recently. He kept saying we might not be able to get back on the train at Wigan and they made us feel very nervous.

“When we got to Southport we had a great time, but we spent the whole trip wondering if we would have problems coming back. They made us put the ramp down ourselves and push it on ourselves and they would not help.”

Northern say they have received a complaint from Ms Morrison and are looking into the situation.

A spokesman explained: “We have received the complaint from Ms Morrison and are currently investigating it. We will be in touch with her as soon as the review is complete.”