A schoolboy who died when he was hit by a train while desperately trying to save a friend who was threatening to kill himself was today hailed as ‘a hero’.
Joshua Myers and Jordan Everett, both 16, died instantly when they were struck by an inter-city service near Poynton station in Cheshire on July 3 last year.
Today inquests into the teenagers’ deaths heard that Joshua had repeatedly told friends he wanted to kill himself, but that they believed he wouldn’t fulfil the threat.
However at around 10pm that evening, the teenager – who was on bail over a sexual assault allegation, and was described as ‘bladdered’ and ‘slurring his words’ after drinking vodka – scaled a fence and went onto the London to Manchester railway line.
His friend Jordan – said to have been in a ‘good mood’ earlier in the evening – followed and ‘screamed’ at Joshua to move, witnesses told police, ‘rugby tackling’ his friend in an effort to get him to safety.
At that point the lights of a Manchester-bound express train appeared around the corner.
The driver of the Avanti West Coast service told police the teenagers ‘both looked desperate to get out of the way’, but tragically it was too late for him to stop.
Today a coroner recorded a conclusion of misadventure in relation to Joshua, saying that despite repeatedly threatening to kill himself, there was no evidence he intended to take his own life that evening.
Joshua Myers, 16, (pictured) was hit by a train near Poynton station in Cheshire on July 3 last year after scaling a fence and saying he wanted to kill himself, an inquest was told
Following his death, Joshua’s parents paid tribute to their ‘bright and kind’ son
Flowers and tributes to the two young boys who where found dead near Poynton Station
Joshua went on the tracks in an ‘impulsive’ act fuelled by the alcohol he had consumed and ‘stresses’ in his life, Jacqueline Devonish said, including being a victim of bullying, as well as his arrest.
She recorded that Jordan’s death was an accident, saying he was ‘thinking solely about saving his friend’.
Saying his ‘act of selflessness’ was to be ‘commended’, the coroner added: ‘He was a hero.’
In statements read to the hearing, Jordan’s mother Nicola said CCTV showed her son ‘desperately jumping down in an effort to get Josh to safety’.
‘Jordan lost his life trying to save Josh,’ she said.
‘His bravery should be known.’
Mrs Everett added that her son – who wanted to become a commercial airline pilot – ‘cared deeply about his family and friends’.
Jordan’s father Paul added: ‘He was a fun, caring, loving person who was always thinking of others and would always go out of his way to help people.’
The inquests – held separately at Cheshire Coroner’s Court – heard Joshua began struggling socially after starting high school.
Giving evidence, his parents said they became concerned about the friends he was associating with, and sought medical help, but felt he was ‘failed’ by professionals.
In the run-up to his death he had been arrested after a teenage girl accused him of sexual assault, and he was on bail at the time.
Joshua’s mother Jenny wept and had to be comforted by his father, Warren, as details of the double tragedy were spelt out.
A friend who managed to get off the tracks in time said Joshua scaled a fence and went onto the railway line, shouting: ‘I want to kill myself.’
But Jordan ‘screamed’ at him and tried to ‘rugby tackle’ him clear just as the lights of the train appeared out of the darkness.
‘I’ve seen it hit them both,’ the friend – who cannot be identified due to their age – told police, saying he ran away ‘screaming’.
‘He didn’t know the train was going to come,’ he added.
Jordan Everett (pictured) suffered fatal injuries along with friend Joshua Myers, both 16,near Poynton station in July 2025
Jordan’s family paid tribute to their ‘cherished son, grandson and brother’, describing him as a ‘caring and thoughtful young man’
‘They did everything together, they’ve died together as well.’
Another friend said Joshua often talked about killing himself when he was drunk.
One recalled that he would say ‘he hated his life and wanted to end it’ but was ‘too scared to go through with it’.
The teenager said Joshua’s friends often had to pull him from train tracks, roads and bridges, adding: ‘I never thought he’d do it.’
She spoke to Joshua by phone earlier on the day of his death when they discussed going out and ‘getting smashed’, although she ended up staying home.
Describing CCTV of the double tragedy, Insp Clare Miles, of Cheshire Police, said: ‘Jordan is trying to push Josh out of the way of the train, but it’s too late, the train is there and it strikes both of them.’
The driver of the train which struck the boys was ‘too traumatised’ to attend the inquest, coroner Ms Devonish said, so she read his statement.
Bryan Holt – who was en route from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly – said his Avanti West Coast service was travelling at around 111mph as it approached Poynton.
Suddenly he saw two teenagers on the tracks who appeared to be trying to get away in opposite directions.
A BTP spokesman said: ‘Officers were called at around 10.10pm to reports of a casualty on the tracks near Poynton railway station’
‘They both looked desperate to get out of the way of the train,’ he said.
He immediately activated the emergency brake but the train struck them a ‘split second’ later.
‘It all happened incredibly fast,’ he added.
Another train driver whose service had just passed southwards through Poynton recalled seeing three teenagers, one of whom seemed ‘angry’.
His face was ‘contorted’ and he was ‘frowning’, he added.
Joshua’s mother described him as ‘social, energetic and thrived in company’ in a statement which had to be read by the coroner after she became tearful.
But after starting at Poynton High School he ‘fell out’ with his friends, moved to a different friendship group and ‘completely changed’.
Pictured: British Transport Police at Poynton station in Cheshire after two teenagers were found dead
He became ‘miserable’ and began regularly going missing and drinking alcohol with his friends, moving on to taking drugs.
His parents moved him to Wilmslow High School where he did ‘well’ in his GCSEs, but he continued seeing the same group of friends, who regularly talked about suicide.
Giving evidence, Mrs Myers said: ‘It was what they all said – “I want to kill myself”.
‘It was thrown about like it didn’t mean anything.’
Social services became involved and his parents also took him to child adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) appointments.
But there was another ‘massive change’ when Josh was arrested after a teenage girl made allegations against him.
Mrs Myers said she was driving Josh home when she flagged a passing police car as he was so distressed, only for one of the officers to throw him against a fence.
‘He was treated like an animal,’ she said.
Floral tributes left to both boys following the double tragedy
One tribute reads: ‘Two young boys and friends gone too soon will be sorely missed by all’
Josh refused to return to school as he was being ‘hounded on social media’.
The family had to have a protective letter box fitted to their Handforth home after threats were made against Josh, and he spent time staying in a hotel.
His mother said the family complained to Cheshire Police about his arrest but were told body-worn footage didn’t show any violence.
While he was on bail in May 2025, she took him to see his GP where Josh admitted having used ketamine, cannabis, ecstasy and MDMA as well as drinking heavily.
Dr Megan Davey said it was clear he was ‘struggling’ and sometimes felt suicidal when substances were involved.
She referred him back to CAMHS where he was placed on a waiting list.
Mrs Myers accepted her son could be ‘impulsive’, and he had previously been found behaving erratically beside train tracks.
She and her husband tried to persuade Josh to stay at home, but his friends would ‘hound’ him to come out with them, she said.
‘We couldn’t lock him up,’ she said, describing him as ‘like two different people’ depending on whether he was with his family or friends.
In her statement, Mrs Myers said Josh was ‘failed by every professional and service that he came into contact with’.
She added Josh was a ‘vulnerable’ child and that they ‘repeatedly sought help’.
Saying Josh had never spoken of wanting to take his own life, she added: ‘Josh did not want to die.
‘We know he would have been terrified. His death wasn’t something he wanted or planned.’
Reviewing his medical appointments, clinical psychologist Dr Lesley Doyle said doctors had assessed Joshua as ‘impulsive’ and were aware he had been self-harming.
But his suicidal thoughts were deemed ‘fleeting’, and doctors concluded he did not have a diagnosable mental health condition, with his case passed to agencies including social services.
Jordan also had regular treatment for mental health issues, drank alcohol and took drugs, the inquest heard.
Like Joshua, he had suicidal thoughts and engaged in ‘risky behaviour’.
But the coroner said it was clear from the evidence that his only intention on the day of his death was to save his friend.
Recording her misadventure conclusion in relation to Joshua, senior coroner Ms Devonish said it was clear he had begun drinking heavily ‘to drown out everything that was going on in his life’.
And she told his parents she believed he had received the appropriate help from the NHS and social services, adding that ‘despite all the interventions, they couldn’t find a way of supporting him’.
Extending her condolences, she added: ‘It’s a very sad case.’
After his death, Joshua’s parents paid tribute to their ‘bright and kind’ son.
They said: ‘He had no idea how loved he was. Our hearts have been broken, and the world seems incomplete without him.
‘He will stay in our hearts forever. He was the best big brother ever, who loved his big family.
‘He was also very thoughtful, kind, bright and intelligent.
‘His warm sense of humour always shone through all of his activities.
‘He really enjoyed playing computer games, running, including park runs, and playing badminton.
‘Many of his favourite days were when he was relaxing and playing whilst on holiday with his family – bodyboarding, swimming and looking after his younger siblings.
‘Josh’s close friends also meant a lot to him and he really enjoyed spending time with them.
‘Our family would like to thank everyone for all of the wonderfully kind thoughts and messages which we have received.’
For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit www.thecalmzone.net/get-support