Highbridge man took his own life in railway line incident, hears inquest

An inquest has this week heard how a train hit and killed two people in separate incidents on the same day – one in Devon and then a second near Burnham-On-Sea.

The CrossCountry train was first involved in a fatal collision at Powderham, Starcross in Devon on January 17th.

The same train was later being driven to Bristol when a man stepped out in front of it near Highbridge and Burnham-On-Sea Railway Station.

The victim, 60 year-old Gary Tippetts, had written a note to his family, the inquest heard.

The train driver said in a written statement that he had slowed the train when he noticed the man on the tracks but a collision was unavoidable.

Tony Williams, the senior coroner for Somerset, recorded a verdict of suicide.

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