'Hero' teen died trying to save friend on railway

A teenager who died trying to save a friend who jumped on to a rail line has been hailed "a hero".

Jordan Everett, 16, tried to push Joshua Myers, also 16, out of the way of an oncoming train but both were struck and died from their injuries.

The pair were among a group of friends who had gathered at a skatepark in the evening of 3 July last year before Joshua climbed over a gate on to the rail platform and descended on to the track at Poynton railway station in Cheshire.

Cheshire Coroner's Court heard that both Jordan, from Stockport and Joshua, from Handforth, Cheshire, appeared to have "desperately" tried to jump out of the way of the train before it struck.

Jacqueline Devonish, senior coroner for Cheshire, said CCTV footage showed it was a matter of seconds from when the lights of the train were first seen until the impact.

"His act of selflessness in trying to save his friend is to be commended," she said.

Concluding his death was an accident, she told the teenager's mother, Nicola: "I know you wanted him to be hailed a hero for what he did.

"Well, he was a hero."

Earlier at a separate inquest held at the court in Warrington, Devonish concluded that Joshua Myers died of misadventure.

She said that while Joshua had shouted that he wanted to kill himself "there was no evidence he intended to take his own life but rather was under the influence of alcohol that caused him to be impulsive".

She said his behaviour was likely to have been contributed to by a number of stresses in his life including peer pressure, bullying and outstanding allegations made against him to the police.

The inquest heard the investigation involved a claim of sexual assault but no charges had been brought.

In a statement to the inquest, train driver Bryan Holt said he approached the platform at 22:10 BST and "very clearly had seen two people" on the line and deployed his emergency brake.

He said: "I think I saw both of them trying to move…they both went in different directions.

"They looked desperate to get out of the way of the train."

A teenage friend of the youngsters on the platform told police that Jordan Everett tried to "rugby tackle" Joshua to the other side of the track.

He said: "He was shouting 'get off the tracks Josh, get off please'. Like he was begging him.

"The minute we saw the lights was the minute Jordan jumped on. He jumped on to try and save him but it didn't work."

He said Joshua had started talking about killing himself about 10 minutes before the incident happened.

Joshua Myers' parents, Warren and Jenny, along with other family members, attended their son's inquest.

Jenny Myers described her son as "bright, active and deeply loved by his family".

She said he thrived in their company but had started drinking and taking drugs in a new friendship group, as well as going missing from home.

She said: "He became upset when people started making claims about him which were not true.

"He didn't want to die. We know he would have been terrified. His death was not something he wanted or planned."

The coroner said the evidence suggested that Joshua was "was actually trying to avoid the train at the last minute".

Insp Claire Miles, of Cheshire Constabulary, told the inquest she presumed the allegations made against Joshua were being dealt with by the force's child protection unit.

She said: "As far as I'm aware he was certainly not charged and I don't think he was ever going to be charged."

In a statement to her son's inquest, Jordan's mother, Nicola Everett, said: "Our hearts are broken beyond repair.

"We understand and sympathise with Joshua's family and friends. We hold no malice towards them. Our pain is unimaginable and we realise they must feel the same.

"Jordan lost his life trying to save his friend. His bravery should be known."

His father, Paul Everett, who was too traumatised to attend the inquest said: "Jordan was a fun, caring, loving and kind person and was always thinking of others which he demonstrated right up to his last actions."

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