A WORCESTER mum travelling on a train home from London said she was horrified by festival-goers openly smoking cannabis in the carriage.

Kate Lovegrove said the 11.22pm train from Paddington on Thursday was packed “like a tin of sardines” with music lovers heading to Great Malvern station for the Big Chill at Eastnor Castle.

The 37-year-old, of Norton, said the carriage was so full it was not possible for the conductor to get up and down the aisles.

She said: “It started off with a herbal smell coming from the toilets but then they were openly smoking spliffs on the train.

“Staff couldn’t do anything about it because the train was so packed. They put a message on the tannoy to say it was a no-smoking train but that was it.

“It has really upset me. I felt sick because the carriage was full of ganja smoke. It wasn’t just one person, I saw at least 12 people smoking from where I was standing. I spoke to an elderly lady when I got off in Worcester and she said it was the same where she was.”

The mum-of-two, who was visiting her husband in the capital, said: “I would have said something but I felt a bit threatened.

“The Big Chill is supposed to be a family festival but I feel sorry for the other people going to the festival who might get tarnished with the same brush.”

A spokesman for First Great Western, which operates the service, said: “We were made aware about the incident and the train manager did everything he could. The train was busier than we expected. British Transport Police were called and were due to meet the train at Worcester but they didn’t show up. All of our trains are no-smoking and we do not condone this sort of behaviour.”

A spokesman for British Transport Police said: “Train staff reported people on board were smoking what was believed to be cannabis. We were asked to meet the train at Worcester but were unable to do so.

“We met the train at Great Malvern but the guard was unable to give formal descriptions of the offenders. Without police dogs, formal IDs and due to the sheer number of festival goers coming of the train it was impossible to identify who was responsible.

“No arrests were made and the passengers were left to make their way to the festival.”