Sussex rail operators have fared badly in a survey assessing their compensation packages.

The one exception is the Gatwick Express service, linking London Victoria with the airport, which headed the league table drawn up by consumer magazine Which?

The survey compares compensation packages on offer from the 25 passenger train companies and shows how they compare with the minimum requirements set out by the Strategic Rail Authority.

Bottom of the table was Connex South Eastern, which scored just four points out of 20. Connex South Central, which covers much of Sussex, was slightly better with six points.

South West Trains, which runs services between Brighton and Reading, gained just five points while Thameslink had seven. Gatwick Express scored 13.

A Gatwick Express spokeswoman said it was delighted with the result. The company offers a 50 per cent refund for delays of 30 to 59 minutes and a 100 per cent refund for delays of an hour or more.

A spokeswoman for Connex said: "Obviously we are disappointed with our position but the SRA sets the standards and we look to that for guidance.