Drunken man killed by train at Deighton

Nov 27 2008 by Emma Davison, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A DRUNKEN man was struck by a train as he tried to get off the tracks, an inquest heard.

Derek Burnikell, 41, died instantly when he was hit at 70mph while standing on the tracks at Deighton station on November 23 last year.

Driver Simon East told the Huddersfield inquest: “I saw a person on the track next to the platform. He had his hands on the platform in the same position you would be in if you were about to get out of a swimming pool.

“He was trying to get out of the way. I sounded the horn continuously and applied the emergency brake, but it was too late.”