Revealed: Mother-of-two accused of bursting into train driver’s cab and verbally abusing him claims she only got angry because passengers were delayed for an hour and ‘treated like animals’ in 95F heat
- Becki Buchanan was stuck on a train along with hundreds of passengers
- Ms Buchanan, 31, was afraid passengers were going to collapse due to the heat
- British Transport Police released CCTV of Ms Buchanan in a bid to identify her
- She said she entered the train cab due to the threat to fellow passengers
A mother-of-two subject to a nationwide police appeal said she only entered a train cab to talk to the driver about the safety of fellow passengers.
Becki Buchanan from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire dismissed allegations that she had been verbally abusive to a train driver at Hucknall Station in Nottinghamshire.
The train had been stuck at the platform on July 29 for more than an hour in temperatures of 95F.
British Transport Police issued an appeal and released several images of Ms Buchanan taken from CCTV in a bid to identify her.
Becki Buchanan from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, pictured, said she was concerned for the safety of fellow train passengers when she went into the cab following an hour-long delay on the hottest day of the year at Hucknall Station in Nottinghamshire
Ms Buchanan said she was shocked to see a nationwide appeal featuring her photograph
She said she was also concerned for the safety of the driver because they had not received an update for more than an hour despite the extreme conditions
A BTP spokesman told MailOnline: ‘Following an incident at Hucknall station involving a woman who forced herself into the drivers cab on 29th June, a woman has now contacted police.
‘She is currently helping officers with their enquiries and we are not looking to identify anyone else in connection.’
Ms Buchanan told MailOnline that she was on the last train from Nottingham on June 29 when it was terminated at Hucknall.
She said the train was packed and was sitting for more than an hour without air conditioning. Temperatures at the time had exceeded 95F. The 31-year-old mother-of-two said she was concerned for the safety of fellow passengers.
She said you would not be allowed to keep animals in such temperatures.
British Transport Police issued these CCTV images featuring Becki Buchanan from Mansfield
Ms Buchanan, pictured, said she entered the cab because was concerned for the safety of fellow passengers, some of whom were about to faint
She also said the passengers were unable to open the windows on the hottest day of the year.
She said: ‘Everyone was completely wet through with sweat and numerous people saying they felt faint , yes I did get in to the cab as we were left for one hour with no information as to what was happening and a guy on the train minutes from passing out.
‘I banged on the door because I wasn’t sure whether the driver was even ok after we were not being informed of the circumstances , no answer when I banged on the door so I felt I had to force entry to see if even he was ok.
‘Upon entry the driver was abusive telling me to get out the cab , I was telling him he may need an ambulance on stand by due to a passenger being extremely unwell and maybe more people ready to collapse.
‘He was just shouting at me and telling me to leave the cab I was telling him that if he would of just updated us as it is his duty of care to us to do so I wouldn’t of had to of panicked so much , however I was so frightened for the guy on the train that my actions lead to this.’
Ms Buchanan said she will be talking to British Transport Police and East Midlands Trains in the coming days.
A spokesperson for East Midlands Trains said it was a matter for British Transport Police.