A 14-year-old footballer with a promising future has been killed after being struck by a high-speed train at a notorious level crossing in Nottinghamshire.
A Desperate Attempt to Save a Friend
Joshua Travis, a former Nottingham Forest academy goalkeeper, was walking and talking with a friend when the tragedy occurred at the Chestnut Grove crossing in Burton Joyce. His companion made a desperate, last-second attempt to pull him to safety as the train approached, but the incident unfolded too quickly.
The friend, visibly shaken in the aftermath, clarified to the Daily Mail that Josh was not wearing headphones at the time, contrary to online speculation. "He had headphones with him but they were in his pocket, he wasn't wearing them," the teenager stated.
Local residents spoke of the friend's bravery, with one man confirming, "Josh was with a mate who tried to drag him out of the way when the train approached, he tried to save him but sadly he couldn't." The community has been left in profound shock, with tributes left at the scene for the "lovely lad with a bright future ahead of him."
A Crossing Long Deemed a 'Death Trap'
The pedestrian crossing, which links the village to open fields, has no warning lights or alarms, requiring users to judge for themselves when it is safe to cross the busy Nottingham to Lincoln line. Around 70 high-speed trains pass through each day.
It has been the subject of years of safety complaints and campaigns for closure, with some locals describing it as a "death trap." Network Rail has previously reported numerous near-misses and incidents of reckless behaviour at the site, including trespassing and even a photoshoot.
In a tragic twist of timing, a formal consultation on permanently closing the crossing was launched by Network Rail just 24 hours before Joshua's death. The application, made on November 25, cited public safety grounds due to misuse and several near misses.
Immediate Closure and Calls for Permanent Action
Following the fatal incident, Nottinghamshire County Council granted a temporary 21-day closure of the crossing while investigations into Joshua's death continue. Many residents are now demanding it be shut for good or replaced with a bridge.
This is not the first time the crossing has been shut over safety fears. It was temporarily closed in 2021 after 16 near misses in two years, reopening later with new gates and a non-slip surface. Last year, Network Rail attempted to use an emergency six-month closure order, a move opposed by parish councillors who wanted alternative safety measures.
A rail worker at the scene highlighted the ongoing danger, noting that pedestrians are often distracted. "Kids are not paying attention... I see it happening all the time," he said.
An inquest into the death of Joshua Travis will be opened in the coming weeks by the Nottingham Coroner.
