Boy, 12, pleaded with train death mother

A schoolboy pleaded with his mother just before she was killed by a train while standing on the tracks at a station, police said today.

Veronica Bell, 41, died yesterday morning at Belle Vue station, Manchester.

Her 12-year-old son tried in vain to talk her back on to the platform, but she was killed instantly when the Northern Rail train hit her at 10.30am.

A spokesman for British Transport Police said the 9.14am service from Sheffield to Manchester Piccadilly "struck and killed her at Belle Vue station. It was doing about 50mph.

"The driver saw her about 100 yards away on the track. He sounded a warning and applied the emergency brake but he was unable to stop."

The spokesman said the 12-year-old boy had not yet been questioned about the incident: "He hasn't really been interviewed yet because he's upset.

"I understand he was on the platform trying to get her off."

The track was closed for more than an hour.

The driver and passengers of the train were not injured.

British Transport Police have launched an investigation but they are not treating the incident as suspicious.

A spokesman said the case would be handed to the coroner soon, but "probably not today".

Mrs Bell was arrested for an alleged assault on July 6 after a 20-year-old man was found with stab wounds on Mount Road in Gorton, Manchester.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "The man was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries, which weren't life threatening."

Mrs Bell was arrested on suspicion of Section 18 assault and had been bailed pending further inquiries.