Death of 2 year old "Tragic Accident"

A Peterborough coroner has recorded a verdict of accidental death on a little boy who was killed on a level crossing just north of the city in September last year.

He described it as one of the most tragic cases he'd ever dealt with.

2 year old Jonny Hall was killed instantly by a train as he ran from his mother, apparently thinking it was part of a "chase me Mummy" game.

It happened in September last year at the Fox Covert Road level crossing in Peakirk.

An eyewitness told the court that she saw the little boy "walk across as little ones do, and when he looked at her as she was calling him he thought she was playing a game. Then I heard the rush of the train and the mother screaming. She was curled up on the track and was screaming."

Coroner Gordon Ryall accepted the verdict of accidental death from a jury and said, "This is a very difficult and tragic case and incidents like this are very rare. My condolences go to the mother. To be present at the death of your child is dreadful.

"However this is not a pedestrian crossing which I consider to be dangerous when it is used by those for who it is intended - adults and children old enough to be responsible.

"However this was a 2 year old and I have to ask whether anything can be done to avoid something similar happening in the future."

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