A CARING dad was killed on the East Lancashire Railway line following a tragic mishap while out walking.

It is believed Mr Francis Joseph Miller fell and hit his head on the tracks, knocking him unconscious, while out on a Sunday afternoon stroll.

Moments later, a tourist-packed locomotive on East Lancashire Railway's Bury to Rawtenstall line hit him. He died instantly from multiple injuries.

The tragedy came to light a short time later when his body was discovered by the driver of another steam train.

Passengers travelling on the 2.50pm Bury to Rawtenstall service were ordered to remain on the carriages for two hours as police investigated the accident.

A reconstruction suggests the unconscious father-of-two lay in a blind spot between the rails, and the impact with the train would have been unavoidable even if Mr Miller had been spotted sooner.

Mr Miller's home in West Drive, Seedfield, Bury, backs onto the ELR line and he regularly used local nature trails as he was a keen rambler.

His brother, Paul, said everyone had been left devastated by the tragedy but were not looking for anyone to blame.

Paul, a detective inspector with Greater Manchester Police, said: "There were slip marks in the ground beside the track where Fran's body was found, suggesting he had slipped and fallen onto the track before he was run over by the train.

"We believe Fran was already unconscious and he would not have felt a thing. It would have been very difficult for the train driver to see him. This was a very tragic accident and there is no-one to blame."

Family members are travelling to Bury from across the world to comfort and support Mr Miller's wife, Elaine, and their two daughters, Jennifer (21) and 18-year-old Lucy.

Mr Miller was born in Bury and is one of seven children. He attended St Marie's RC Primary and St Gabriel's RC High School before embarking on a career as a joiner. He was a keen walker, gardener and a season ticket holder at Bury FC.

In April, he and his wife celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and the couple enjoyed a holiday of a lifetime to New York, Hawaii and Canada. In May he marked his 50th birthday with a walking trip in the Italian Alps with friends and family.

Leading the tributes, Paul told the Bury Times: "Fran was an unbelievable guy, a best friend and great brother. His daughters doted and worshipped him as he them. He enjoyed a very special bonding with all his family and everyone is heartbroken and devastated by his death.

"He touched so many people. He always made time and offered help to anyone. He had an opinion about everything and anything but never said a bad word about anyone. Fran loved the great outdoors and was never still. In fact, the only time he was ever still for any length of time was while he was watching his beloved Bury."

And Mr Gordon Cooper, Mr Miller's brother-in-law, added: "Fran was an inspirational character. He was honest, loving, a good person, a great husband and father. He lived for everything in life.

"He will be remembered by his friends and family as an honest, positive, loving and happy Englishman who was proud of his roots, proud of his family and proud of his friends and workmates."

A requiem mass will take place next Wednesday at St Marie's RC Church at 1.30pm, followed by committal at the East Lancashire Crematorium in Radcliffe. All enquiries to Silletts Funeral Service on (0161) 723 2383. Family flowers only and donations if desired to Francis House Children's Hospice in Didsbury.