A disabled woman's claims she was left stranded in Liverpool overnight have sparked 'disgust' at accessibility on train lines.
Holly Webster, from Crewe, says she was left in the city after rail staff 'forgot' about her.
ECHO readers say they are 'shocked' at how the situation was handled and believe more should be done to help make trains more accessible for everyone.
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Holly, who uses an electric wheelchair, says she missed the last train home from Lime Street after staff forgot to tell the train's driver a passenger requiring assistance would be boarding the train.
Her mum had to book a room for her at a Premier Inn in the city centre as the next train was not due until 8.18am the following day.
She said: "We got to the station and asked staff if someone could help me onto the train. They said 'of course' and they told us to go and wait on the platform.
"So we waited, the train came, and we literally watched the doors close. Nobody came."
She added: "Station staff said they would look into getting us a taxi, so we were stood around waiting for ages.
"Then finally someone came over and said we weren't getting a taxi. That was it, we were just stuck in Liverpool at gone 10 o'clock on a Saturday night.
"There was no concern for our safety or anything, we were just basically told to leave."
A Network Rail spokesman told the ECHO : "We understand that being stranded is very distressing and we apologise we were unable to get Miss Webster the assistance she needed to board her last train home on Saturday night.
"We’d always advise passengers to prebook Assisted Travel by calling 0800 0223720.
"Unfortunately, Miss Webster had not prebooked and arrived at the station less than 10 minutes before her train was due to leave.
"We’re reviewing what happened with staff so we can improve short notice assistance requests in the future."
ECHO readers have branded the response 'pitiful' and say that it is trying to shift the blame onto Holly.
On Facebook, Louise Kania said: "As if they have tried to blame her for arriving at the station 10 minutes before the train.. you know like everybody else? It's not an airport, she shouldn't have to arrive two hours before her train. What a pitiful response."
Alison Evans added: "Bloody disgraceful. Blaming the lady for 'only arriving 10 mins before departure.' 10 minutes is plenty of time for a person to go and assist. Still no excuse for failing to help after the train had left, either."
Many readers slammed the need to prebook altogether, and Sammy Holden said: "I’ve never been stranded overnight thankfully, but as a wheelchair user I hate the 'well you didn’t prebook' line.
"Sometimes, people with disabilities like to be able to go out and come back spontaneously just like everyone else. You’re made to feel like an inconvenience for it though."
Nandy Mel added: "Shouldn't have to pre book just because you use a wheelchair. What if you decide on that day you want to go somewhere, everywhere should have disabled access all of the time shame on them who handled that situation or didn't handle it shocking!"
While Charlie Parry said: "Typical get out comment 'measures put in place so it doesn't happen again.' It shouldn't have happened in the first place. Disgraceful behaviour by all the management."
Heather Brown agreed and said: "Why should you have to pre-book for assistance!? If everything was accessible in the first place, the majority of the time assistance wouldn’t be needed."
Jean Disley branded it 'shocking' while Joanne Freeman said: "Disgusting they should reimburse the money to her mum who paid for hotel."
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