Police hunt for rail ticket dodger

TRANSPORT police are hunting a man who punched a train conductor and ran off after being asked to buy a ticket.

The man had boarded the 3.14pm train from Sheffield to Leeds via Bolton-on-Dearne without buying a ticket.

An eye-witness described how, when approached, he tried to pay for travel to Rotherham with a 20 note, but the conductor said he had no change.

The conductor asked the passenger to get off at Meadowhall and pay, pointing out that he had walked past an open ticket office at Sheffield, the witness said.

When the train pulled in the conductor asked the man to disembark, saying: The train isnt moving until youve got off.

But the man replied: Im not getting off the train, before standing up, walking over to the official and shouting in his face.

The passenger then punched the conductor, knocking him to the floor, before running off the train and out of the station.

It all happened so quickly but it was quite shocking to see something like that happen on a busy train and for a man to be attacked just for doing his job.

The witness said the conductor received a cut to his right eye and damage to his glasses.

He was escorted off the train by colleagues and the train was cancelled, forcing passengers to wait up to an hour for the next service.

BTP have launched an investigation into the attack.

They urge anyone with information to contact them on 0800 405040 or text 61016.