A trespassing incident that brought major disruption to train services between London Paddington and Reading last was handled "disgracefully," according to passengers who say they were left stranded at stations without information or assistance. 

Train services between the two stations were hit with cancellations and delays of more than an hour during the disruption, which began at 6.55pm last night and did not see normal services resume until the early hours of Sunday morning. 

National Rail reported at the time that the disruption had been caused by a trespassing incident.

Network Rail has now told The Reading Chronicle that the incident required train line power to be switched off around London Paddington Station. 

Staff from the emergency services, including the British Transport Police, were able to bring the trespassing incident "to a safe conclusion," according to a Network Rail spokesperson. 

The disruption brought travel misery for thousands of train passengers and ticket holders - who have said there was a "disgraceful" lack of information or assistance at London Paddington and Reading Stations. 

One passenger who contacted The Reading Chronicle said she was travelling with her daughter, who has Down's Syndrome, and the disruption turned their train journey from London to Hereford into a "nightmare."

The family was left waiting for hours before being able to board a train headed for Reading, leaving London Paddington at 10.30pm. 

The passenger said: "At Reading we were told to get a train to Didcot, then a bus took us to Oxford where the station was closed and the official had left.  We got a taxi from Oxford.

"I'm also shocked at how no help or concern was given to my daughter.  Especially with information and helping to ensure we got on transport when a mass rush of people pushed in front of us at each stage."

After arriving home at 3.40am this morning, she added: "It was a nightmare.  The lack of organisation and information was disgraceful.  Passengers were left absolutely clueless as to what to do.  You would think they have plans in place for emergencies."

Another passenger, travelling from London Paddington to Oxford via Reading, echoed the concerns about a lack of information at Reading Station - as passengers waited for hours for trains. 

The passenger said: "I was waiting there for three hours with absolutely no information anywhere, and services with ‘rail replacement buses’ next to it not existing at all.

"Eventually made my way to Didcot station and finally got a rail replacement bus - without any lights or power inside - back to Oxford, arriving at midnight.

"I was lucky to be with friends but it would have been really disconcerting as a young woman on my own."

A Network Rail spokesperson acknowledged that the situation had been "very difficult for passengers and colleagues."

The spokesperson said: "Trains to and from London Paddington were disrupted on Saturday evening owing to an emergency services operation in the station. Nobody was hurt but we had to turn power off to trains for a period as well as close some platforms, which meant that we couldn’t run the same level of trains as we would normally.

"We're grateful for the help provided by the emergency services, who managed to bring the incident to a safe conclusion.

"Our thoughts are with the individual involved.”

Great Western Railway and British Transport Police have been contacted for further information.