Angry passengers on a busy commuter train have spoken of their nightmare journey after they were trapped on the train when the doors jammed.

Trainee journalist Rachel Fitch, 21, got on the train from Colchester at 5.15pm on Tuesday planning to change at Thorpe and travel on to Frinton.

But she said when she got to Thorpe the sliding doors failed to open.

Rachel said: "There were passengers inside knocking on the windows to get out and passengers outside waiting to get on knocking on the windows."

But she said the doors stayed shut and Frinton-bound passengers were forced to travel on to Clacton before catching another train back to Thorpe to change again and carry on their journey.

Rachel, of Branscombe Close, Frinton, explained: "Normally I would have been home by 5.50pm but in this case I did not get home until about 6.50pm, an hour late."

She said she was concerned over the safety issue raised.

Rachel said she complained when they reached Clacton station but felt her complaint fell on deaf ears.

She said a member of staff on the platform said he could not help and a man in the ticket office said there was nothing he could do and handed her a complaints form.

Rachel is now writing to First Great Eastern to complain.

Another passenger Kim Bloomfield, of Old Road, Frinton, is also planning to protest about the incident.

She said apart from the safety and inconvenience, she was concerned that "no-one seemed to be taking it seriously".

First Great Eastern spokesman Peter Northfield, who was unaware of the incident, promised: "We will look into it."

He said he could not see why the doors should not have opened but it would have to be looked into.

Why me? Frustrated commuter Rachel Fitch

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