Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has urged Southern Railway to resolve the long running dispute over the role of conductors, saying he is "appalled " at the company's behaviour.

Services have been disrupted for weeks because of industrial action and a high level of staff sickness.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union went on strike on Tuesday, causing travel misery for passengers.

Mr Corbyn, a keen train traveller, said of Southern: "They don't seem to realise their biggest asset is their workforce.

"I call upon them to end this needless dispute."

Mr Corbyn, speaking in Brighton after addressing the annual conference of Unison, said it could be "scary " travelling by train at night, especially if there were no guards and stations were unstaffed.

He recently met a train crew manager who said he often felt like a community worker dealing with people with mental health problems who travel on late night trains.

Southern are changing the role of conductors from August so that drivers will be responsible for operating doors.

The company insists there are no safety implications and that no one will lose their jobs.