Boy And Grandma Killed By Train

4:55pm UK, Sunday November 23, 2008
A seven-year-old autistic boy and his grandmother have been killed after they were hit by a train at a controversial railway crossing.

Jean Hoggart, 56, and Mikey Dawson were struck by the Worksop to Nottingham service in Bestwood Village, Nottinghamshire, yesterday evening.

Mikey's mum Karen Dawson has been too devastated to speak to the media since losing her mother and son.

Police have said there were no suspicious circumstances and the deaths appeared to be a "tragic accident".

But a councillor said it was an "accident waiting to happen" because of a lack of lighting and a dual crossing.

At the point where the tragedy happened, the railway runs parallel to a tram line linking Nottingham to Hucknall and there is a dual crossing over the two tracks.

Councillor Chris Baron, who represents the area, said he would be contacting his officers at Nottinghamshire County Council to try and get the crossing improved.

He said: "It's a mixture of East Midlands Trains and Railtrack and I believe they have a responsibility and duty to ensure pedestrians have a safe route across the tracks.

"If you look at it with the lack of lighting, together with the dog-legged crossing, this was an accident waiting to happen."

He said there had been a campaign 10 years ago to make the gates to pedestrian crossings along the route lock as a train approaches.

He added: "I wanted to see a locking system that can bolt the gates when a train is 100 yards away."

Ian Smith, 43, who lives opposite the crossing, said: "We have been trying to get some security here because of crime but no one wants to take responsibility for the crossing.

"We were told that we would get cameras if there was a fatality and it is sad it has come to something like this before anyone takes any notice."

It is understood that Mrs Hoggart, a dinner-lady from nearby Hucknall, was on one of her regular visits to her sister Julia Hackett with Mikey when they were hit.

The dead woman's sister visited the site to lay flowers. She said: "We're devastated. It looks a bit slippy but I don't know whether it was slippery last night. She had three grandsons and doted on all of them."

Oh my God...how very very sad.How must that poor mother feel...losing her son and Mother in that tragic way.My heart go's out to her and her family.

So sad

poor women that now need to deal with her son and mother dead at the same time!

RIP both of you!

How awful!!

I hate those crossing!!

I really feel for this mother, who has lost a child and her own mother.

RIP x

Absolutely horrible should never of happened