Grey-Thompson 'still angry' she had to crawl off train

One of Britain’s most famous Paralympians says she is “angry” she had to “crawl off a train” at London King’s Cross station because there was no one to help her.

- JORDAN REYNOLDS

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson travelled on a train from Leeds to London King’s Cross on Monday evening but arrived at 10pm to find no one there to help, and said she waited 16 minutes before she crawled off herself.

The gold medallist, who has spina bifida, was a wheelchair racer and competed in five Paralympic Games between 1988 and 2004. She claimed 11 gold medals, plus four silvers and a bronze, and was created a crossbench life peer in 2010.

She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme she missed her 7.15pm train and got on the 7.45pm service, but when she arrived at King’s Cross there was no one to meet her.

“I waited five minutes before I put anything on social media, because … you’re meant to leave sort of five minutes,” she added.

“But after 16 minutes of sitting at King’s Cross, no one in sight – there were a couple of cleaners, but they’re not insured or able to help me off – I decided that I’d crawl off the train. So I’m going to Paris later today, I’ve got a few bags, had to chuck them on the platform, get out of my chair, sit on the floor right by the door, which is not particularly pleasant, and then crawl off.”

She added: “There was no one around. I mean, I was pretty angry last night.”