Commuters held a sit-in on a train terminated early at Great Malvern on Monday evening, until it carried on to Hereford as advertised.

Central Trains said the decision to continue had nothing to do with the 20 people who refused to budge for 30 minutes, despite being promised taxis or coaches on to their destinations. The move follows similar passenger action over the summer.

Passenger Marcus Allen, of Ballard Close, Colwall, said: "The controller would not have moved the train if we hadn't stayed on.

"The guard went back to the controller with the message that we were staying put, come hell or high water.

"He came back with an announcement that, due to 'passenger power', the train would now go on to Hereford."

Mr Allen, a former Malvern Hills district councillor, said the promised road transport was not there and commuting schoolchildren found themselves on a "dark and cold platform" with no rail staff. With the announcement that the train would go on, the passengers who had disembarked flocked back.

Another passenger, Chris Kitching, of Browning Road, Ledbury, said: "It's something I would contemplate doing again. We bought a ticket to a destination and a ticket is a contract."

Central Trains spokesman Ged Burgess said trains arriving late could be suddenly terminated because of the single track to Hereford.

The controller would take the decision "as a last resort" if a following train was close behind. Otherwise a train could be stuck at Hereford and be unable to return for scheduled services.