A man slipped under a train and was killed after clinging to the outside of the carriage in an attempt to retrieve two presents that he had left inside.

In his rush to get off the train after having missed his stop when he fell asleep, David Davies, 38, forgot the flowers and toy car that he had bought for his wife and three-year-old son.

Realising this while he was crossing the bridge to the station exit, he ran back and tried to get the driver’s attention by banging on the windows. His wife, Shelley, said that he then tried “in a moment of madness” to jump on to a ledge between the carriages as the train pulled out of Barnehurst station in Kent. He fell under the train and was killed instantly.

Mrs Davies, 39, said: “Dave did a crazy thing for me and Daniel, and it cost him his life. I have lost my best friend and the love of my life. Daniel has lost a fantastic daddy. But I know what he did was out of love for me and Daniel. He was only thinking of his family, as always.”

Mrs Davies, from Bexleyheath, southeast London, said that before her husband boarded the 4.33pm train from London Charing Cross to Crayford last Friday, he had called to tell her that he had bought Daniel an expensive car from Hamleys toy store. “Daniel was over the moon, really excited, and Dave knew that. That’s why he was so desperate to get the gift back. He had made a promise to his son and wanted to keep it,” she said.

“Dave was amazing. He had a huge amount of energy and his wit was incredible. I have stories of Dave that make me cry with laughter. There is now a huge void in our lives,” Mrs Davies added.

She said that she was finding it hard to tell her son what had happened to his father, an account manager for an advertising company in the City.

Mr Davies’s parents, Kathy and Tony, also from Bexleyheath, were also struggling to cope with the loss of their son.

“He saw the good in everyone and was always there with a joke and a smile,” they said.

“David always thought of his family first and this is what killed him. We are absolutely devastated at his loss and don’t know how we will ever get over this tragic, tragic accident.”

Barnehurst station was closed for several hours while emergency services investigated the death.

Mr Davies’s sister, Nicola, left flowers at the station with a card that read: “We can’t believe what has happened and that you are gone. I’m going to miss you so very much. Life won’t be the same without you.

“I promise I’ll be there for your son Daniel and for Shelley too. None of us will ever forget you.”

Another tribute was left at the station by a man who witnessed the accident. The note, which was signed Andy, said: “I tried to stop you from running after the train, but didn’t get the words out in time.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t stop him.”

A spokesman for British Transport Police said that an inquest would be held.

“A 38-year-old man died after being struck by a train on Friday, May 9, at 5.16pm. The train was departing Barnehurst train station when the man fell between two carriages. The death is not being treated as suspicious,” he said.

“His body was transferred to the nearby Princess Alexandra Hospital, where a post-mortem took place. An inquest has been opened and adjourned for reports.”

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