Tributes have been paid to a popular Huddersfield cricketer and dad of two, who died after being hit by a train at Mirfield rail station on Friday.

Lifelong Almondbury man, Simon Walker, was described as having a 'heart of gold' and as 'good friend to many' by his family and Lascelles Hall Cricket Club, where he played.

Simon, who was well-known in the local Drakes leagues and started playing cricket for the club when he was 14, fell from the platform into the path of a train passing through the station from Liverpool Lime Street to Newcastle at 8.37pm.

Ambulances, West Yorkshire Police and the British Transport Police were called to attend but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

An avid sports fan and hairdresser at Project 505 on Wakefield Road, Simon, 32, was dad to a daughter, 8, and  a son, 11, and lived with his dad, Jimmy, in St Annes Gate.

The brother of Tracy Walker and Curtis Walker and half brother to Rose, 24, Amy, 23 and Laura, 21  and cousin to Sean, he was also described as a dedicated family man with an 'outrageous sense of humour'.

Rose, who lives with her sisters in Northgate, said: "We are all in shock and it just doesn't seem real.

"Simon was an amazing brother and always went out of his way to help his family and loved his kids so much-he had a heart of gold.

"He had an outrageous sense of humour, was so down to earth and was loved by everyone.

"He was sports-mad and also played rugby league and was unbeatable at pool.

"He'd had a tough time over the last couple of months but we were all doing what we could to support him.

"We'll love him forever."

Cricketer Simon Walker who died at Mirfield railway station on Friday, June 6

His mother, Ann, who lives in Dublin with Tracy, said: "He was very bubbly and sensitive and was a big family man and we will miss him so, so much."

Lascelles Hall Cricket Club chairman, Mark Walker, described him as a 'valued member' and 'good friend' to many players from the club, where he had been playing as a wicket keeper for the second team after returning five years ago.    

Before then he had been playing for Almondbury, Broad Oak and Golcar.

Players in Lascelles Hall's first and second teams today donned black arm bands in his memory whilst they played Paddock and Lepton Highlanders.

Mark said: "We are all still trying to come to terms with the shock of it all, because he was such an upbeat man who was always up for a laugh with everyone in the team.

"He had a lot of friends in the team who he had grown up with so it has come as a huge blow and we are devastated by what has happened-we just can't believe it.

"He was a valued member of the club and was a very capable cricketer who had rejoined the second team five years ago to play on a more social basis.

"Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family and closest friends and in the future, once we have talked with his family, we would like to put on an event in his memory."            

Trains were cancelled for over two hours in between Huddersfield, Leeds and Wakefield Westgate after the incident and a replacement bus service was put in place to transport rail travellers.

Other friends took to Facebook to express their shock at the death of Simon, who they described as 'fantastic' and a 'lovely guy'.

Adam Steel said: "RIP Simon, what a great bloke. Thoughts are with your family."

Click here to take you back to more Huddersfield news .

Want to read, watch and hear more? You can download the FREE Examiner Apple App  here , the FREE Examiner Android App  here  or you can view the paper as an e-edition on your Apple, Android or Kindle device by clicking  here

To follow us on Twitter click here