A 64-YEAR-old Chorley man, depressed following a catalogue of tragedies, stepped to his death in front of a train.

A Preston inquest was told that Michael Patrick Hanley, of Sherwood Place, was depressed following the death of his wife, son and sister.

Anthony Hanley, of Victoria Road, Windermere, said his father had been 'devastated' following the death of his wife in 1989.

His son had had a heart attack while jogging in Melbourne and his sister died from cancer.

Trainee train driver Rosemary Hodgson, said on December 18, she was driving the train from Manchester Airport to Blackpool and had just left Chorley station and sounded her whistle as she approached Rylands Crossing.

She said she saw someone step into the railway line and look at the train.

"I saw him duck down. He knew what he was doing," said Miss Hodgson.

Mr Hanley died from multiple injuries.

The jury returned a verdict that Mr Hanley killed himself.

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