A TRAIN passenger who went "berserk" and tried to open the emergency door while travelling at 70mph has claimed she did it because she was scared of the person she was with.

A TRAIN passenger who went "berserk" and tried to open the emergency door while travelling at 70mph has claimed she did it because she was scared of the person she was with.

Alison Tsirides, of Normandy Close, Stowmarket, hurled abuse at a conductor on a Cambridge to Ipswich train before trying to grab the emergency door release a court heard.

South East Suffolk magistrates heard how the 43-year-old and a male friend had boarded the train without paying and trouble started when the conductor found them without tickets.

But Tsirides said she behaved as she did because she was frightened of the man she was with and she has since taken out an injunction against him to make sure he stays away from her.

She said: "He told me to get on the train and when he tells me to do something I do it or I get beaten up.

"When we got on the train and he went to toilet I ran to inspector to ask for permission to pay within seven days.

"All I was trying to do was calm him down.

"I was trying to stop the trouble and I have ended up getting into trouble."

Lesla Small, prosecuting on behalf of the British Transport Police said the couple had accused the conductor of picking on them when he found them hiding in the toilet during ticket collection.

Tsirides had obtained a pass to pay within seven days but shortly after the pair were asked to stop their disruptive behaviour she went into a rant, screaming she wanted to get off the train.

Ms Small said: "She went berserk and started shouting and trying to grab the emergency door release.

"The conductor predicted the train was travelling at 70mph at the time.

"At this point a passenger intervened to try and get the couple to calm down but Tsirides just began banging the sides of the train with both fists and screaming continuously."

Tsirides pleaded guilty to the charges, from May 6, at the magistrates court in Ipswich on Tuesday. She was arrested with the man when the train stopped at Kennett.

Magistrates fined her £40 and ordered her to pay £34 costs.