RACING fans Graham Slade and Jack Cherry missed starters'orders when they jumped on a train - and ended up 80 miles from the racecourse.

The hapless pair were in a party of six Oxford punters heading for a fun day out at Newbury races.

But they found themselves blinkered when they accidentally hopped on a train which took them all the way to Taunton, in Somerset.

Now bar steward Graham, 56, and Jack, 81, are having to face the taunts of pals back home at the Railway Club, in Oxford.

Graham, of Mill Street, Oxford, said: "I feel a bit stupid." - but at least we got a day out in Taunton for £8.50."

All six race lovers caught a train from Oxford and planned to change at Reading to get to Newbury racecourse in time for the Saturday afternoon meet. But Graham and Jack fell at the second hurdle when they got on the wrong train at Reading station. "The others were taking their time leaving the pub and I could see the 11.15 getting ready to leave," said Graham. "I ushered Jack on board and decided to meet the others at the other end. But when the guard checked our ticket he said the train was going to Taunton. I couldn't believe it, the Newbury train must have been the next one."

The pair's friends - Andy and Caroline Webber and Sean and Geraldine Fahey - unaware of their friends' plight, went to Newbury unaware that their fellow punters were stranded in Somerset.

Meanwhile, Graham and Jack had their first flutter of the day at a Taunton bookies. Jack, of South Street, Oxford, said: "I won £35 on the first race and there was a pub next door so it wasn't that bad. But because we went to Somerset I've been nicknamed Scrumpy Jack since we got back!"

The pair finally made it back to Oxford early that evening.

Ray Brown, landlord of the Waterman's Arms, in Osney, where both Graham and Jack are regulars, said: "Everybody has been taking the Mickey out of them. What dip sticks!"

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