A member of a Jewish choir has recalled his sense of panic and terror after severe overcrowding on a train left him gasping for air and prompted some passengers to issue threats of violence.  

Benjamin Till, 47, a resident composer and vocalist at Mosaic Voices, said he and at least 10 others were returning from a performance at Bristol’s Park Row synagogue on October 3.

The packed service from Penzance to London hurtled past its stop at Swindon, causing “massive panic” in Mr Till’s carriage.

The north Londoner, who said he feared someone was going to get killed amid the chaos, contacted police after some passengers allegedly threatened to punch someone and kill the driver.

He recalled an terrifying five-minute period when, squatting on the ground for air, all “I could hear were people around me shouting and trying to push through and panicking and swearing and alarms ringing.”

A British Transport Police spokesperson said enquiries into a report of “passengers behaving aggressively on a train to Reading shortly before 9.30pm on 3 October” are ongoing.

The train, which ground to a halt outside Swindon for 45 minutes, eventually turned back to the town after alarm bells were pulled several times.  

The service was then terminated at Reading, with hundreds crowding onto the platform and boarding another train packed “like sardines”. The train was held for 20 minutes.

“People were absolutely crow-barred in and also turning on each other, '' Mr Till said, adding some were pushing others off the train saying “get over it, you’re not on this train.” 

Mr Till, who lodged a complaint about his ordeal and arrived home before midnight, having left Bristol at around 6.20pm, criticised Great Western Railway’s handling of the situation. 

“A lot of the blame for what happened and a lot of the panic has to be placed on the shoulders” of the firm, he said, adding communications had broken down with just one security message updating passengers in his carriage during his journey. 

A spokesperson for GWR, however, said several announcements were made and suggested “there may have [been] a fault with the PA system in some of the carriages.”

The spokesperson also said GWR was “really sorry” for those inconvenienced and said anyone delayed could claim a refund. 

"The 1418 Penzance to Paddington service was diverted via Chippenham and Swindon to assist passengers affected by an earlier cancelled train. The service was however too busy to carry more passengers safely, so the extra stops were removed. 

"While those on board were informed of the decision, having passed Swindon the emergency 'passcomms' was pulled and the train stopped - further delaying the service by well over an hour. The train was returned to Swindon before continuing on its journey towards Reading,” the spokesperson said.