A rail company has apologised to a schoolboy who says he was fined and threatened with police action after being accused of fare-dodging.

Ticketless Daniel Johnson, 13, of North Farm Road, Lancing, was ordered by a guard to hand over £10 or face being driven home in a police car.

But the teenager says he had not been able to buy a ticket before he set off, had wanted to pay a conductor en route and had came clean and offered to pay his full fare when he arrived.

He said: "I was really scared so I paid up. I was worried mum and dad were going to tell me off. It wasn't very fair. I think they should apologise."

Daniel says ticket outlets at Lancing Station had been closed and the ticket machine was broken when he set off for Brighton to buy a pair of trainers.

He boarded a two-carriage South Central train, expecting to be able to pay a conductor on board but none appeared.

When he approached the barrier at Brighton station he tried to pay his fare.

But before he could explain what had happened, a guard fined him £10 and said if he did not pay he would be taken home in a police car.

Daniel, who attends Downstone Community College in Dale Avenue, Hassocks, said: "I was really angry. There was a man and lady in front of me who had come from Seaford and they didn't have tickets either but they were only asked for £5 each."

His mum, Nicky Miller, a delivery driver, has complained to South Central. She said: "I was absolutely fuming.

"I can understand some kids try to bunk trains but Daniel had the money in his hand and the bloke didn't even give him a chance.

"I'd given him some money because he was going to Brighton to buy some trainers. Obviously he paid because he was scared stiff. He phoned me up straight away in a hell of a state, because it left him short and he never got his trainers.

"It wasn't his fault there was no guard on the train to buy a ticket from. In my eyes, it's wrong. It's not the money, it's what it does psychologically to the child."

Daniel's parents came to collect him from Brighton because he was upset and they wanted to complain.

South Central spokeswoman Sam Hodder said: "The majority of our staff are courteous and helpful and we would wish to apologise for any distress caused to Daniel as a result of this incident."

The firm introduced a penalty fare scheme across its network from April 27, obliging customers to buy a ticket before travelling.

Paresh Patel, retail services manager said: "The most important message of our new penalty fares policy is that we expect passengers to always buy a ticket before travelling.

"We lose a great deal of money through fare evasion each year and this is revenue that could help with important improvement to our network.

"Fare evaders not only undermine our company but they cheat those passengers who always buy their tickets."