TRAIN operator c2c are running extra and longer trains for fans travelling to West Ham matches at the club's new stadium in Stratford.

West Ham are playing matches at the former Olympic Stadium for the first time this season, with 60,000 fans expected at each game,, compared to the 35,000 capacity of the club's previous Boleyn Ground home.

A c2c spokesman said: “We’ve been working very closely with the club and the stadium, and for the two games so far we have put on a combination of extra trains and longer trains.

“We’ll continue to do either or both, depending on the circumstances around each game. We are also putting on extra staff at West Ham station on matchdays.”

West Ham station, on the Fenchurch Street line, is a tube stop away from Stratford.

When asked about direct trains running from Southend to Stratford to make the journey as quick and simple as possible for fans, c2c said they already run direct trains to Stratford from Southend and Basildon,but not Grays, and there will be two trains per hour direct to Stratford most weekends - and two more trains per hour to West Ham.

From Grays, all four trains an hour go to West Ham.

For weeknight games and during weekend engineering work, all trains run to West Ham.

About 5,000 fans have used c2c to get to matches for each of the club's opening two matches at Stratford.

The spokesman added: “We are only able to run direct trains to Stratford at weekends when there is no engineering work, as there is limited access from Network Rail. However from West Ham station it is only a short journey on the Jubilee line or DLR, or alternatively it is walkable.

“The two games so far we have taken around 5,000 fans, which is significantly more than on matchdays at the previous ground.”