A WOMAN has spoken of her 'distress' after being surrounded by police in Worcester and fined despite having a valid train ticket.

Stephanie Mortimore, of Malvern Link, said she was crying and shaking after her humiliation at Worcester Foregate Street station and had to be helped by a passing policeman.

She was fined on Wednesday, November 16 despite having proof that she was charged £6.70 for a return ticket.

She claims when she exited the train, about 10 British Transport Police officers and penalty notice guards made her feel "distressed" and "embarrassed"

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Miss Mortimore said: "I loaded my online banking app and showed him the pending transaction to Trainline for my rail fare and explained that I would not be happy to accept the Penalty Fare Notice as I had paid for my travel.

"I was forced to take the £20 penalty fare notice, despite having done nothing wrong.

"I left the station feeling incredibly distressed, embarrassed and vulnerable, having been humiliated in public and treated like a criminal."

Miss Mortimore arrived at Worcester Foregate Street station at 8.55am and noticed about ten penalty notice guards as well as British Transport Police Officers.

She was asked about her ticket on the train by a passing ticket inspector, who she claims agreed she had sufficient proof she had paid.

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Miss Mortimore said: "I had the opportunity to purchase a ticket from the guard on the train but was reassured that I did not need to as he could see from my pending transactions in my online banking that my fare was paid.

"Outside the busy train station, I was sobbing, physically shaking, and felt too embarrassed to walk through town in the state I was in.

"I became incredibly light-headed and was unable to control my breathing, and a police officer walking through town helped me to the ground.

She also claims that the experience has left her worried about using the train in the future.”

Stephanie intends to appeal the fine and also lodge a complaint to the British Transport Police.

A British Transport Police spokesperson said: “Our teams are on service and at stations across in England, Scotland and Wales every day to ensure passengers and staff are safe.

"The high visibility presence of our officers on the network is not to intimidate anyone, but to provide reassurance to passengers that we are there to assist them and deter crime.

"If you’re travelling on the network and need assistance, don’t hesitate to speak to one of our friendly officers.”

A Great Western Rail spokesperson said it had cancelled the penalty fare, but a pending transaction"is not proof of purchase".

A spokesperson for GWR said: "While a pending transaction is not proof of purchase, we have on this occasion cancelled the penalty fare.

"Given the nature of the individual circumstances, a level of discretion could have been shown and we are sorry that this was not applied consistently in this instance."