‘I was screaming for help!’ Paralympian opens up on ‘humiliating’ LNER experience
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson erupted on GB News in a furious rant after she was forced to “crawl off” an LNER train arriving at London King’s Cross.
The 11-time Paralympic gold medallist said she initially booked assistance to help her off the 19:15 train from Leeds, but missed it and travelled on the 19:45.
Speaking on GB News, Grey-Thompson told Andrew Pierce and Dawn Neesom about the experience that left her feeling “humiliated”.
“When we got to London, I waited five minutes – which we’re meant to, before I started posting on social media or trying to contact the company”, she said.
“I tried to ring assistance but no one was there. I tried sending text messages. I started screaming for help.
“I decided to get off. A member of the cleaning staff offered to help me, but they are not insured. They are not trained to use the ramps. I am not going to risk someone’s job by having them help me.
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“I was pretty much off the train when someone saw me.”
Describing how she eventually went about getting off the carriage, the former wheelchair racer said she went about putting her items onto the platform.
“I got onto the floor, which is not the greatest place to sit, then I put all my stuff on the platform”, she said.
“I could still do it. There are thousands of disabled people who can’t. It’s absolutely awful in this day and age.
“2012 was an amazing games, the best ever Paralympics, but it did not change to will for disabled people.
“If you’re inspired by the games, come home and try and do something to make it better for disabled people.”
She went on to admit the experience left her feeling “pretty angry” and “humiliated” as the world gears up to celebrate the sporting feats of the Paralympians at the games in Paris.
“I’m not asking for a gold-plated chain, I want the same experience as everyone else”, she said.
LNER has said it is investigating what happened and said it was “sorry to understand there was an issue” at the station.
An LNER spokesperson told GB News: “We are sorry to understand there has been an issue at London King’s Cross station on Monday evening. We are in the process of investigating this and are in contact with the customer directly.”