A train guard who helped a young woman get away from a 'creep' has downplayed his quick-thinking actions.

Twenty-year-old Ellie Ward, from Ellesmere Port, issued a plea on social media to find the Merseyrail worker so she could thank him.

Now David Haydn has come forward to identify himself as the guard after his daughter spotted the appeal, our sister paper The Liverpool Echo reports.

He wrote on Facebook: “Thank you. I think I was just doing what anyone else would in my job. I’m glad you were okay.

“I have a daughter myself and would want someone to protect her too. Thank you for all your support.

“It’s a struggle trying to keep the guards on the trains, and this helps to highlight what a priority it is. Thanks again.”

Ms Ward said she was left 'really shook up' after the alleged incident on the 9.30pm Liverpool Central to Ellesmere Port service on Saturday night.

She said she did not realise anything was wrong until after the guard had told her to come with him down to the front of the train.

She said the guard then went to encourage another young woman to follow him, before telling them both a man had been loitering behind their seats.

Ms Ward said she only found out that Merseyrail guards fear for their jobs when she got home and told her parents what had happened.

She said she had launched a petition backing their campaign, suggesting guards were vital for keeping passengers safe.

She previously said: “It’s quite scary to think what could have happened if the guard wasn’t there.

“We were both really shook up.

“The guy was standing right by the chair watching my reflection - you don’t know what he was thinking.”

The Merseyrail strikes over the weekend were the latest actions in a bitter row over guards’ fears a new fleet of trains will see their jobs scrapped and passenger safety compromised.

The trains, due to be used from 2020, allow drivers to control the doors rather than guards.

But Merseyrail say the new trains will be more rather than less safe, with customer service roles still proposed to be on all trains after 8pm.

They also say they will have bright lighting, open carriages and CCTV, and have called the strikes 'pointless'.

A British Transport Police spokesman has said they are aware of the incident and making enquiries.

Anyone who was on board the train and witnessed what happened is asked to contact police by sending a text to 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40.