A MUCH-loved family man died from major injuries after being hit by a train, an inquest found.

Anthony Llewellyn King, 35, who lived in Ravenscliffe and was known as ‘Kingy’, was hit in the early hours of April 16, around one mile out of Brighouse station by a train travelling between York and Manchester.

At the inquest, held at Bradford Coroners’ Court yesterday, the father-of-four’s death was ruled as an accident.

The hearing heard that Mr King had been seen in the headlights of the train with another individual, yet to be identified, pushing what was later found to be a motorcycle between the rails.

Assistant coroner John Broadbridge said who he was with, and where he had been through the night, has not been fully determined, but he had been noted as missing.

In a statement, his wife Chelsea said she had last spoke to him on Monday, April 15, and when he did not return the following morning, she raised the alarm and reported him missing.

Later that day, she was visited by a police liaison officer and was told her husband had been found and had been hit by a train.

The inquest heard evidence through a written statement from train driver Duncan Northover, who said he had been travelling at 60mph in the direction of Sowerby Bridge when he thought he saw two deer, but then realised there were bikes ahead and people pushing them along.

The driver applied the emergency brakes, but Mr King was struck.

Mr Broadbridge said that for “whatever reason”, Mr King did not apprehend the approach of the train from behind.

The inquest heard the train would not normally have been on that route at that time - around 4.10am - as it had been diverted.

Mr Broadbridge described the circumstances as a “tragic sequence of events”. He said there was no evidence that the driver had sounded his horn, but said there was very little he could have done other than hit the brakes.

Giving evidence in person, DC Karen Grave, who investigated Mr King’s death on behalf of British Transport Police, said CCTV footage had been captured at Brighouse station showing two motorbikes “at quite significant distance” being ridden towards the train platforms, but as the footage was poor quality and at such a distance, only figures could be made out.

She told Mr Broadbridge that Mr King was wearing a hooded top, possibly a woolly hat, and a balaclava had been found at the scene.

The inquest heard there was no evidence Mr King was intoxicated to an extent he would not have known what he was doing, no evidence of third-party involvement or that Mr King had any intent to harm himself. He said the only conclusion he could come to was that Mr King’s death was an accident. He died at the scene as a result of multiple injuries due to blunt force trauma.

In a statement read out in court, Mr King’s wife said he had been in and out of prison. She described him as a family man, who enjoyed spending time with his family and going on days out.

She said he would be missed by many and “will never be forgotten”. At the time, she was pregnant and decided to call her baby Antonia.