It's hard enough at the best of times for disabled student Julian Henley to reach a counselling course at Sussex University from his home in Burgess Hill.

He has to take two trains and notify rail staff beforehand so they can put down a ramp to get him on and off using a wheelchair.

But twice he has missed lectures because no key was available for the ramp to allow him off the train.

Rail staff should go out of their way to help disabled people reach their destinations and there have been other instances of this being done.

But Mr Henley has experienced tremendous trouble from SouthCentral and a lack of sympathy for his predicament.

SouthCentral should make sure it does not happen to him again. If it's any consolation for Mr Henley, things should be better when new trains with proper wheelchair access come into service.