Trains stuck at Lewisham station during the snow were ready to move five times before "selfish" passengers staged a mutiny, Southeastern has revealed.

The 'beast from the east' and Storm Emma battered the UK with snow and wind earlier this month, causing particularly major disruption near Lewisham station on March 2 when passengers forced their way off a train after being stranded for hours.

Bexley councillors heard last night, March 20, that Southeastern's website was running at eight times its normal capacity as panicked passengers tried to find out why trains were at a standstill.

Chris Vinson, a senior communications manager for Southeastern, explained to councillors that despite a "strategic plan" being in place, the service is susceptible to cold weather because of its reliance on a third rail.

The third rail is an electrified line that supplies power to trains on Southeastern's network.

Mr Vinson said that on the infamous Friday evening freezing rain caused the train service to have 21 stranded trains across the network during the day.

He said: "We ended up having to close the Sidcup line because we could not draw power on it. We advised people not to travel at all.

"During the rush hour at Lewisham one of the trains hit a number of faults. Whilst the driver was resetting that the train became frozen to the tracks.

"It stopped at a really bad location, and then as Network Rail colleagues were on site fixing the train, passengers on the train behind it opened the doors using the emergency leaver. This led to a massive power isolation. That stretched from east of Blackheath to Nunhead."

Emergency services rushed to the scene and were forced to sweep a two-mile stretch of rail to evacuate disgruntled passengers.

Mr Vinson added: "On five separate occasions we were ready to go and nearly had power back on when people behind again got off the trains."

A total of nine trains - carrying 21 Southeastern staff - were at a standstill back from Lewisham station from about 6.30pm until 10pm.

Two inquiries into the incident are being launched - a joint investigation by Network Rail and Southeastern as well as a probe by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch.

Labour councillor Stef Borella said: "I can't get over the fact that those people who got off the trains acted in a selfish manner. There were people on those trains who were not able to get off.

"Southeastern and Network Rail rightly should review what happened but those passengers who got off those trains need to look at themselves as well.

"I thought is was disgraceful quite frankly that they did that, it was selfish.

"Passengers who were left on those trains were left in uncomfortable positions because of selfish actions. I do think there is something to be said about safety campaigns and the lessons to be learned, and maybe on trains there should be visual reminders that they should not be doing that."

Southeastern usually receives about 1,000 tweets a day, but Mr Vinson said at one point on that Friday it received 2,000 tweets in an hour.

Questioning Mr Vinson, Conservative councillor Alex Sawyer, cabinet member for traffic and transport, said: "I think [Southeastern] probably did the best that it could. The implication if the line would have been live and a passenger would have made contact doesn't bear thinking about.

"I think it was gross irresponsibility from some of those passengers albeit I can understand the reasons why they did that."

Conservative councillor John Davey said: "The biggest criticism for most is that no one tells them what is happening. If the train announcement system goes off it is inevitable people would try and get back to the station and get home somehow.

"The announcement system should be like the emergency lighting system and remain on for a lot longer. That is a serious issue if you need to make announcements."

Mr Vinson said passenger information is at the heart of the investigation, but added that there were 21 staff across the nine trains who could provide information and that passengers could refer to the app or Twitter feed.