Grieving mum's warning after lad's rail death

Eighteen-year-old roofing contractor Arron Hill - known to his many friends as Arron Gardener - was killed on the tracks in the early hours of Saturday. He was hit by a train shortly before 1am.

As friends piled flowers on the platform close to the spot where Arron died, Inspector Jack Ioannou of the British Transport Police at Brighton this week appealed to any witnesses to the tragedy to contact him on Freephone 0800 40 50 40.

He is particularly keen to talk to anyone who saw the former Bexhill High School student shortly before his death.

Arron's mother, Samantha, was being comforted by his grandparents Michael and Linda Collier at her London Road home this week.

She said: "He was handsome. Everybody loved him. He had lots of friends in the town - I can't believe how many.

"They have all been down to the station with their flowers. I went to the station yesterday. There was this huge pile of cards and flowers."

She said: "He was into scratch and music-mixing. He had been to a friend's place in Western Road on Friday night. He and his mate were making up a tape."

Struggling to make her voice heard, she said: "I have been told that they all used to cross the line near the station. They all climb the white picket fence, go across the railway and open the big wooden doors to get out the other side (Station Road).

"They all do it..."

In a plea to other youngsters, she said: "Don't do it - how long does it take to walk over the footbridge? A couple of minutes more..."