Phoebe and her parents had been returning to Bath, where she now lives, after attending a concert in London the night before, which she bought as a gift for her mum and dad before her diagnosis.
When they got to Bath Spa, she said they were told by staff to stay on the train and get off at Bristol Temple Meads – a 15-20 minute journey – before buying another ticket back to Bath Spa so she could get off.
The family explained this was not possible as Phoebe’s grandparents were waiting at the station to pick them up and take her back to Caerphilly, where she was living at the time.
Phoebe said she was told by staff to try and get her wheelchair through the train aisle, but it did not fit so she crawled through three carriages.
“I was crying. People were staring,” she said.
“One passenger reached down to stroke my back and apologised to me, telling me what was happening wasn’t acceptable.
“She was trying to comfort me, but in that moment I felt like a dog.”
Phoebe’s mum Kirstin Tesoriere said watching the incident was “traumatic” and left her feeling “helpless”.
“When I close my eyes I can still see it, the pity on other passengers’ faces. It was humiliating for her.”
Phoebe said her parents lifted her back into her wheelchair to get off the train using the ramp, but staff were not waiting to assist her.
