16/05/2008

Father Died 'Reboarding Train'

A father was killed after attempting to retrieve gifts he left on a train, his family have said.

Thirty-eight-year old David Davies, from Bexleyheath, fell between two carriages as the train was departing Barnehurst station last Friday.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was transferred to the nearby Princess Alexandra Hospital were a post mortem took place.

Barnehurst station was closed for several hours while investigations took place into his death.

A British Transport Police spokeswoman said: "He attempted to reboard the service but the doors locked and the train was departing when the man fell between the carriages and was struck by the train."

Mr Davies father, Tony said that his son had left flowers for his wife and a toy car – a replica of his own black Smart car - for his three-year-old son Daniel.

"He was halfway up the footbridge when he must have realised that he had left the gifts on the train and decided to go back and get them because they were important to him," he said.

Mr Davies said that his son must have fallen asleep on the train as he missed his Bexleyheath stop and disembarked at Barnehurst.

The wife of the deceased, Shelley, 39, said that what he had done was "a crazy, stupid mistake" but "he was only thinking of his family, as always".

His father added that his son's death left "a massive void" in their lives and that he "doted on his family".

(DS)

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