A rail passenger who threatened to sue Connex over its compensation deal for delayed travellers has been told he is too late to claim his refund.

The train company has refused to compensate Dr Paul Dawson, a university lecturer of Centurion Road, Brighton, saying he failed to buy a new rail pass within 28 days of his previous one running out.

Dr Dawson said: "The whole business is unbelievable. My last season ticket expired on December 8, the last day of term, and my new one will start on January 15 when I start teaching again.

"I am not eligible for a discount even though I suffered in the post-Hatfield chaos just as much as the passengers who are getting the discount."

Connex has agreed to pay compensation to passengers who suffered disruptions caused by severe weather and rail repairs in October and November.

Dr Dawson regularly buys an £862 first-class season ticket covering ten weeks of travel to his job at London's City University.

He is among thousands of commuters who have claimed a refund of 15 days' of travel.

The money, from a fund held by the Strategic Rail Authority, has refunded each passenger an average of £85.

Dr Dawson has already threatened to take Connex to court over its compensation package.

He said the train operator had been "disingenuous" about its offer and said the wording of the compensation conditions was misleading.

Connex has offered passengers a seven per cent discount when renewing their monthly and season tickets to cover disruptions to services.

A Connex spokesman said: "In any sort of system there will be people who fall outside the criteria, but the bulk of people who have claimed will receive compensation.

"I suppose lecturers have longer holidays over Christmas and that makes it an exceptional case, but for the majority of people, even allowing for their Christmas and New Year break, they still would have renewed their ticket within 28 days."