HUNDREDS of passengers were left waiting on railway platforms in the freezing cold after a distressed woman threatened to jump from a bridge.

Train services were prevented from running between Barnham and Havant last night after British Transport Police were called to the incident on a railway bridge in Cathedral Way in Chichester.

Electricity was switched off so Southern’s fleet of electric trains were put out of action but one Great Western diesel train was able to operate between Barnham and Chichester for one journey, carrying around 300 passengers at around 7.40pm.

This train was then put out of action because it was unable to turn round in sidings to provide a shuttle service for passengers stranded at Chichester wanting to head east.

However a replacement bus service took hours to swing into operation.

Ali Smith, who commutes to Brighton from Emsworth, said: “While everyone understands the incident the emergency services were dealing with is beyond Southern’s control, providing prompt alternative road transport is not.

“There were hundreds of people waiting in the cold for buses which we were promised were coming but took hours to turn up.

“It’s so frustrating that there was so few staff providing accurate information.”

A coach provided by Great Western for its passengers travelling to Southampton and Bristol turned up at Chichester station at 8.30pm. However Southern’s replacement road transport did not arrive until later.

Five buses were sourced but passengers waiting at Chichester station attempting to travel to Barnham said they had been left waiting for two hours in the cold.

A Southern spokesman said: "This was a necessary response to an emergency incident which caused our passengers considerable delay despite our best efforts.

“We apologise and encourage passengers to apply for compensation under our delay repay scheme at www.southernrailway.com/delayrepay."

A British Transport Police spokesman said in a statement: “At approximately 4.30pm yesterday afternoon, officers from BTP were called to a railway bridge on Cathedral Way in Chichester following reports of a woman in a precarious position.

“A 25-year-old woman from Midhurst was safely removed from the bridge and was arrested on suspicion of malicious obstruction.

“She remains in police custody whilst enquiries continue. “