A CORONER has questioned the rise in the number of railway suicides over the past few months.

Blackburn coroner Michael Singleton said there had been four inquests into rail deaths in Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley over the past six weeks. He said this compared to three years without an incident.

He made his comments at the inquest into the death of Paul Radnedge, 55, in Blackburn yesterday. Mr Radnedge took his own life on the morning of July 30 by lying on the tracks between Cherry Tree and Pleasington train stations.

Mr Singleton asked investigating sergeant Les Peters from the British Transport Police: “There has been such an increase in incidents in a short space of time and in a small geographical area, I have to ask, do you think we are seeing copycat suicides?”

Sgt Peters said: “I don’t think so. We often see that incidents spike in certain areas without obvious reason and then go back to normal. In my opinion, these are not copycat incidents.”

The court heard Mr Radnedge left the home he shared with his brother, Stephen, in Park Place, Blackburn in the early hours. He left a note behind reading, ‘Gone to get some fresh air’ and a second line which his brother said was difficult to make out.

Stephen was called by Sgt Peters who had attended the scene in Pleasington before visiting Stephen to break the news.

Stephen described his brother as ‘the best brother anyone could have wished for’ and said he had an active and a life-long interest in trains and railways.