A pregnant mother has slammed an elderly couple who refused to give up the seats she reserved for her family.
Amanda Mancino-Williams was left frustrated after the pensioners reportedly told her seat reservations "didn't matter" on the CrossCountry train from Cheltenham to Nottingham.
The writer then posted pictures of the couple sat opposite her three children, who were squeezed into two seats on the train, according to Somerset Live.
She said: "If a mum with three kids and bags has four reserved seats for a long train journey, and you're sitting in their seats on a full carriage, don't tell them their tickets don't matter in a posh voice and then say you're not moving and refuse to make eye contact.
"Don't be these people."
"My 12yo is just staring this woman down," she also tweeted, before revealing she was six months pregnant.
Another passenger then offered Amanda his seat, while she waited for the train's conductor to resolve the siutation.
The family were then offered an empty table in first class.
"A kind man offered me his seat," said Amanda. "(I) spoke to conductor who was calm, lovely, and apologetic, said that instead of engaging with them that he was going to move us to an empty table in first class. I grabbed our bags and turned to the couple and said, with a smile, 'enjoy your seats!"
'I'd booked a table so the children could do their schoolwork'
Amanda told the Sun there was no point in people reserving seats if people are allowed to sit in them and she would have let the couple have the seats if they had a good reason for refusing to give them up.
She added: "Her instant dismissiveness of me and the children told me all I needed to know about her. I didn't feel it was my responsibility to acquiesce to that kind of behaviour.
"I was shocked and tired. Any mother who travels with bags and children knows how your mind is in a thousand places, so things like reserved seats are something you count on.
"They make your journey manageable. I'd booked a table so the children could do their schoolwork."
She later posted on Twitter: "This situation is not about my children not having manners enough to stand for the elderly. This is about a culture of bullying and entitlement."
Scores of people responded to her tweet, voicing their support for her family.
@nwaby said: "Should have just sat on them....if they don't move from your seat it's their tough luck..."
@Emuziek tweeted: "No way that should be tolerated. You took the time and trouble to reserve seats. They have no business being in your seats. Good on the conductor to help, but they should have assisted and removed those two from your seats. Sends a message."
A spokesman for CrossCountry told the Sun the family had been "let down by others who ignore the labels".
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