A COUPLE has vowed never to travel by rail again, claiming the attitude of staff at Worcester's Shrub Hill station ruined a trip to London.

Keith Bartlett, who has a serious heart condition, said staff refused to help carry his luggage and on the return trip they did not open the toilets for them.

Mr Bartlett said he felt ill after struggling over a bridge with his luggage when staff refused help.

"I felt distinctly unwell for quite a while after that. I just had to sit quietly until I recovered," said Mr Bartlett, of Athelstan Road, Battenhall, who was travelling with his wife, Hazel.

"It had been years since we had been on a train and we are not likely to go again," he said.

Mrs Bartlett said she was surprised by the staff, who said they were not allowed to carry heavy cases.

"While we were waiting we saw other passengers asking for assistance, but no help was available," she said.

"Then we saw a girl with five or six bags on a trolley and a male employee came to her aid. We clearly heard one of the women tell him to let her do it herself, but he carried on helping."

Mr Bartlett cannot drive because of his disability and when the couple had to go to London for an important engagement they decided to go by train from Shrub Hill because they were worried about the stairs at Foregate Street.

On their return journey they found the station toilets locked and again asked for help, but although they waited for some time, no one came to unlock the door.

A spokesman for Central Trains apologised and said the complaint would be investigated.

"There is no lift at Shrub Hill, but there is a barrow crossing which is currently undergoing work and has been closed temporarily.

"The procedure should be that anyone with heavy luggage is transferred by taxi to Foregate Street station, where there are lifts to both platforms," she said.

"The toilets at Shrub Hill have been very badly vandalised and they are kept locked in order to maintain them. They should be opened on request, but they are very short-staffed there."

A spokesman for Network Rail said passengers would only be able to use the barrow crossing at Shrub Hill if accompanied by a member of staff, for safety reasons.