Bullied schoolboy lay on tracks and was killed by train as 50 classmates watched

A 14-year-old school boy, who had reportedly suffered bullying, lay down on tracks and was crushed to death by a train as classmates watched.

Sam Connor, a "bright and popular" pupil at Salesian School - a Roman Catholic comprehensive in Chertsey - died on Monday afternoon at Chertsey railway station, in Surrey.  He reportedly gave his school bag and mobile phone to a friend then slid off the platform and onto the tracks as horrified classmates watched a train kill him.

A passenger, known only as Lewis, 28, was travelling on the service from Chiswick and saw Sam get killed as the train came into the station.

Lewis told Dailymail: "The train stopped very suddenly with only one carriage alongside the platform. I thought maybe one of the kids had dropped their phone as they were all looking down at the wheels of the carriage.

"We saw some of the girls starting to cry; we saw some of the boys leaning down, literally on their knees, calling down between the train and the tracks, calling 'Sam, Sam'."

"That's when we realised something was wrong. There was a girl on phone, crying, trying to talk to the driver."

Lewis said when he realized they were from Salesian school he phoned the teachers to tell them what had happened. He added that the sight of the incident was so horrific that a student paremedic collapsed.

He said: "What was particularly harrowing was there was a student paramedic who passed through the train and down on the tracks to help the boy. When she got down there she collapsed and burst into tears – it was just the most harrowing thing."

The owner of a convenience store close to the Connor family home spoke of his shock at the teenager's death.

He described Sam as a "lovely, polite lad", who would come into the shop with his brother.

He added: "He was always so polite and a really lovely lad. I just can't believe what has happened."

Sam's friend Freddie-Joe Twine described Sam as one of the "nicest and charming" boys in their break-dancing class.

Several parents at the school said Sam was being bullied. One mother said her two daughters had told her Sam was being picked on.

Another mother said: "When I got the emails and texts from the school telling me what had happened I just burst into tears. I spoke with my daughters when they came home about what had happened. They said it was Sam and said everyone was talking about him being bullied. 

"If this is true there has to be an investigation. How bad can it be that a 14-year-old boy wants to take his own life. I just cannot comprehend what he must have been feeling."

The family of Sam Connor have told of their devastation after their "sensitive little soul" lay down on tracks and was killed by a rush-hour train.

Speaking to Daily Mail, Deborah Barrett, first wife of Sam's father James, said: "It's just so sad. It's so awful, isn't it? My three girls are Sam's half sisters, they are all so upset.

"It's horrible. You can't imagine, can you? I've just spoken to my middle one and she said he just lay down on the tracks.

"He was a sensitive little soul, a cute little thing who was into gaming. He was funny and sarcastic with a great sense of humour.

"Although he was shy, we used to be able to make him laugh."

Deborah added: "This is so horrible for the family. They loved him, they were all quite close.

She continued: "There were six kids altogether, they are all quite close, the children, and Sam was the youngest.

"Sophie, my youngest daughter, rang me on Monday and told me what Sam had done, and said he'd been bullied at school. Then why weren't the school doing anything? It doesn't bear thinking about. It's awful."

But a school spokesman said they had "no record" of the boy being bullied and could make no further comment currently. 

In a statement the British Transport Police said: "Officers were called to Chertsey station at 4pm yesterday (July 15) following reports of a casualty on the tracks.

"Paramedics also attended but sadly a 14-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the scene. His family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.

"The incident is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner."