Couple locked in Nelson Railway Station

The station exits were all locked, there was no telephone – so there was no way out.

After shouting for help, Jason Tyhurst (19), of 
Reedyford Road, Nelson, and his 18-year-old girlfriend
Sophie McNeilly were eventually rescued by firefighters.

They had been to see Blackpool Illuminations, but the train was late setting off, and was even later reaching Nelson.

Jason said: “The gates out of the station shut at midnight, and if that happens the guard from the train is supposed to get off with you and has a key to open a side gate. That is Northern Rail’s policy. We left the train and went to the door but we couldn’t get out. It’s Northern Rail’s fault.

“We were given various reasons why the train was late – leaves, bad winds, greasy tracks. We were supposed to get there at 11-30 p.m. but it was 12-40 when the train arrived.”

On arrival, Jason and
Sophie tried to leave through the main entrance, then
another where there was a lift, but they were both securely locked.

Sophie said: “All the guard said was ‘goodnight’ – he thought nothing of it!”

And Jason added: “I tried to find an emergency phone box, but it wasn’t there.

“And the batteries of our mobiles were dead because of taking pictures all day!

“I climbed over a six-foot fence on to a grass bank that led to the top of the bridge. I shouted for help for half an hour.”

Someone who heard him then called the police, and they came and talked to him. He explained what had happened.

The police tried to get someone to come out and open the entrance, before firefighters came and put ladders up to help them get out.

Sophie said: “I was really frozen by then. It was very cold.”

Jason, who is a lifeguard at Pendle Wavelengths, added: “She was really upset.”

It was 1-40 a.m. when the couple – who are both volunteers with St John Ambulance – finally got out.

Jason added: “When I went in to the station the next day, the manager was amazed – he didn’t know anything about it.

“If this had been disabled or elderly people, they wouldn’t have been able to climb over and get help. They would have been there till five in the morning!”

A spokesman for Northern Rail said: “We apologise. There was a breakdown in communications on Friday. What we have done is reviewed what happened with everybody and put in a step to make sure it doesn’t happen again, It should not have happened.”

Working with Lancashire County Council, they have agreed a way in which people will be able to get out when the train arrives after the exits have been locked.