Mother's body found at same site as daughter's on UK railway line

September 19, 2007 Yesterday the body of Joanne Coombs, 40, was found in the same location as her daughter Natasha Coombs, 17, who was found dead on a railway line near Manningtree Station in Essex, England on August 10.

Police stated that the mother's body was found after freight train operators reported a possible fault of the tracks when using them. A crew from a second freight train was instructed to investigate the report and found the body. It is thought that the death may have resulted from being hit by the first train which reported the fault, but the incident is not being treated as suspicious.

"On Tuesday evening the driver of the 1900 BST Liverpool Street to Norwich train service reported a possible track fault. The line was checked by the driver of the following freight train. He found the body of a woman near Manningtree station," said British Transport Police (BTP) inspector Ed Purchase.

Neither of the deaths are being treated as suspicious, but police are not sure if Natasha's death was a suicide. Reports say that she had ended a relationship with 18 year-old Josh Brennan, her ex-boyfriend. An autopsy later confirmed that the cause of Natasha's death was consistent with being hit by a train.

A formal identification of Mrs. Coombs has not yet taken place and an investigation is currently being conducted by the BTP.