SAINTS supporter Alan Whitehead has condemned South West Trains for cancelling a service set to take football fans to last Sunday's crunch Southampton v Portsmouth clash.

He has demanded an urgent explanation from the company about why the 'football special' to Portsmouth's Fratton Park ground was scrapped without warning.

Hampshire police had recommended the special service, insisting it was the safest and most reliable way of transporting Saints fans to the high-octane Premiership derby.

However, more than 1,000 supporters were forced to cram on to a timetabled service to Portsmouth after the 'special' failed to turn up.

Staff at Southampton Central station did not explain why the train had been axed, fuelling fury ahead of the match, which Saints lost 4-1.

Mr Whitehead - defending an 11,207 Labour majority in Southampton Test at the election - said he would contact South West Trains to complain about the situation.

He said: "Sunday was a miserable day for Saints fans in more ways than one. The cancelled train fiasco set off a chain reaction which added to policing difficulties.

"Fans had paid out a lot to get to Portsmouth - some didn't even get to see the match. They rightly deserve an explanation as to what happened."