Father dies trying to recover toy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/7403321.stm

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A father was killed by a train as he scrambled to retrieve his son's toy and some flowers he had left on his seat.

David Davies, 38, slipped between two carriages as the train was leaving Barnehurst station in south-east London last Friday evening.

His father Tony said his son was on the footbridge when he realised he had left the items on board and dashed back.

Mr Davies, a printing manager from Bexleyheath, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tony Davies said the gifts his son had left on the train were flowers for his wife Shelley and a toy car for his three-year-old son Daniel.

Mr Davies said: "Daniel's daddy owns a black Smart car and we bought him a toy version of it some time ago but it was a green one.

"Daniel wanted a black one, just like his daddy's, and my son had been trying for months and months to try and track one down.

"He eventually found one and bought it last Friday at Hamley's in London and he was really looking forward to giving it to Daniel as it was really significant.

"But he left it on the train, along with the flowers, and we can only assume that he fell asleep on the train because he missed his stop at Bexleyheath and got off at Barnehurst.

"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.

Train doors locked

"But the train was moving off as he got to it and he slipped between two."

Mr Davies Snr added that more than 300 people are expected to attend his funeral.

A British Transport Police spokeswoman said: "A man left the 16.33 Charing Cross to Crayford service at Barnehurst and appeared to have left property on the train.

"He attempted to reboard the service but the doors were locked and the train was departing when the man fell between the carriages and was struck by the train."