Coventry City: Sky Blues fans warned they could end up stranded

Thousands of Coventry City fans could end up stranded in London after the match

A rail operator has warned Coventry City fans travelling to Wembley for the Championship play-off final they are unlikely to get back on its services.

Chiltern Railways said services to and from the stadium were above capacity and it "strongly advised" fans to find alternative options.

The Sky Blues take on Luton Town for a place in the Premier League at 16:45 BST.

The rail operator has apologised and said its priority was customer safety.

About 37,000 Sky Blues fans have bought tickets to the match.

In an urgent update, Wembley Stadium's Safety Advisory Group said it had been made aware Chiltern services were "severely over-subscribed", with twice as many tickets sold as seats available.

"Return services will be particularly hit with capacity at 50% of the number of tickets sold, leaving thousands of Coventry fans stranded in London," the warning said.

About 37,000 Coventry City fans will be attending the play off final, with thousands expected to travel with Chiltern

Fans reacted angrily to the last minute update social media, with one branding it "a disgrace".

In a travel advisory update, Chiltern Railways explained unprecedented demand meant planned post-match capacity had been exceeded and it was unable to add additional services.

The operator advised against buying a ticket and said passengers not travelling to the game should make alternative plans including travelling by coach, car or tube.

A Chiltern spokesperson said the company was sorry ticket sales had exceeded capacity, but it had been necessary to update advice after discussions with Wembley Stadium, the FA and other train operators.

"Our services and stations are expected to be incredibly busy throughout the day - particularly at Warwick Parkway and Leamington Spa. Full fee-free refunds are available to those who do not wish to travel due to the expected levels of crowding," the spokesperson said.

Chiltern Railways operates services between Birmingham Snow Hill and London.

National Express, the official coach supplier to Wembley, said it still had services available to London Victoria.