Steward refuses to sell egg sandwich

London : A train steward refused to sell a passenger an egg sandwich ... because he might choke on it.

Chris Haynes had gone to the buffet car after the crew announced that everyone on board would get a free soft drink as compensation for the train breaking down. He saw some egg sandwiches on sale, but when the 58-year-old came to order he was told he couldn't buy one.

Recalling the bizarre exchange yesterday, Haynes said: "When I asked the man why not he said it was for health and safety reasons.

"I told him I didn't understand how health and safety came into selling a hungry stranded passenger an egg sandwich on a broken-down train."

Haynes said that when he asked for an explanation a second time, the steward replied: "If the train has to be evacuated you could choke to death on the sandwich." Haynes, a bar manager himself, said: "I've never, ever heard anything so ludicrous."

Haynes was travelling back to London from a day at Newbury Racecourse in Berkshire when his packed evening train came to a standstill less than half way into the journey.

A spokesman for First Great Western said she was not aware of the incident. She added: "It is not our policy to refuse to serve customers on these grounds."

— Daily Mail