An exhausted and pain-stricken mother was forced to board a packed train to a London hospital just hours after giving birth to a critically ill son.

Kelly Funnell's son Marshall was born with a heart defect at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

Kelly was parted from Marshall almost immediately when he was taken by ambulance to Guy's Hospital to undergo a life-saving operation.

Nursing staff originally told Kelly she would follow in another ambulance but seven hours after giving birth she was told none was available.

Instead, she was advised it would be quicker to catch a train.

Kelly, 20, of Queen's Park Road, Brighton, said: "I was gobsmacked. I wanted someone to help me but what could I say to get an ambulance?"

She and her partner Jamie Weston, 23, could not travel directly to London Bridge and had to change at East Croydon.

Their two-carriage train was packed with people travelling in the Friday afternoon rush hour and Ms Funnell had to stand in a draughty doorway.

Mr Weston, burdened with suitcases and bags, almost failed to get on at all.

Ms Funnell said: "I had had no sleep. I did not know if I was sick or hungry. I had spots before my eyes and I was holding on to the rail as tightly as I could because I thought I would fall. I kept looking out of the window waiting to see Tower Bridge so I knew I would be there. But the train just seemed to be going so slowly."

On arrival at Guy's after a journey lasting more than two hours, nursing staff were appalled by what the couple had endured.

Ms Funnell said: "As soon as the staff saw me they took my blood pressure, which was very high. They could not believe what had happened."

Her mother Heather said: "Kelly was wobbly, bleeding heavily, completely exhausted and ill-prepared for the trauma she had ahead of her."

Marshall spent ten days in hospital after the operation on his heart for coarctation of the aorta.

Although he is now thriving, he will need regular checks to ensure there are no complications later.

Mr Weston said: "We have not talked about compensation and we should not have to ask. It should be there.

"Luckily, there were no serious consequences but if this happens again to someone else, they might not be as lucky."

A spokesman for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Sussex, said: "The trust apologises to Kelly, her partner and her family for the distress this regrettable incident caused.

"Kelly should not have been advised to travel by train. The options of travelling to London were discussed with her and her family. It was agreed in the absence of an immediate ambulance, the train would be the quickest option.

"However, the midwife concerned now recognises it was not appropriate for Kelly to travel on public transport.

"Our senior midwifery team has discussed this issue with all staff so this should not occur in the future."