MORE than a decade after pleas to close a footpath over a railway line were turned down, a fresh tragedy has sparked calls for action.

Dave Boycott died after being hit by a train as he was trying to pull his dog from a pedestrian crossing over the railway by Jamaica Road, Malvern Link, on Sunday.

His death follows that of two pensioners in separate incidents on the crossing 13 years ago.

Lily Tandy, aged 70, of Jamaica Road, died in 1988 as she was crossing the railway line and Frank Shelton, 67, of Bosbury Road, died there nine months later.

A petition was set up calling for the crossing to be closed, but British Rail refused, saying too many people wanted it to remain open.

Valerie Humphrey, Mr Shelton's daughter, said Mr Boycott's death had unleashed all the old wounds.

"How many more people have to die before they get something done?" she asked.

Joyce Tandy, of Jamaica Crescent, said the issue was close to her heart as Lily Tandy was her cousin's wife. She called for an underpass to be installed.

"At least that would keep the path open," she said.

Sir Michael Spicer MP campaigned for something to be done 10 years ago. Now he has taken up the issue again and written to Steve Marshall, chief executive of Railtrack, asking, at the very least, for warning lights to be installed for pedestrians.

"I'm absolutely horrified by this," he said, adding that he was very concerned that children were playing on the line. "If that's the case we've got to make sure that's looked at in the next few weeks."

Lou Tate, spokesman for Railtrack, said the crossing met the requirements set down by the Health and Safety Executive.

"Of course this will be taken into consideration when an assessment is next done," he said.

'He'd do anything for anyone'

DAVE Boycott was a man who would "do anything for anyone".

His devastated wife Pat and daughter Sue have paid tribute to the husband, father and grandfather who "didn't have a mean bone in his body".

Mr Boycott, aged 73, was struck by a train on the track near Jamaica Road, Malvern Link, at about 1.35pm on Sunday as he tried to save his wife's dog.

Pat Boycott was in Wales and he had stayed behind to look after nine-year-old German Shepherd, Shanty, who escaped and survived.

"I was at a get-together for my son Michael's birthday and Dave didn't come because of the dog. He idolised her and because I suffer with arthritis he always walked her, although he had arthritis too," said Mrs Boycott. "He died to save my dog."

Police traced Mrs Boycott in Dolgellau to bring her news of the accident and she returned home to Matthias Close, Malvern Link, that night.

The couple would have celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary on June 24.

Both had been married before and their extended family has rallied round to support Mrs Boycott.

Mr Boycott was well-known in Malvern as the licensee of the Prince of Wales in Newtown Road for nearly 30 years.

He kept the pub with his wife Barbara until her death in 1979 and then with Pat after their marriage in 1983.

After his retirement, he worked as a steward at Bransford Golf Course and then at the Town Club in Malvern.

Sue Arwen, Mr Boycott's daughter by his late wife Barbara, said: "You never heard him say a bad word about anyone. He would do anything for anyone," she said.

Both women felt an appropriate memorial to Mr Boycott would be a bridge at the Jamaica Road level crossing.

Mr Boycott's funeral will take place at Worcester Crematorium on Tuesday at 1.30pm.

There will be family flowers only but donations in memory of Mr Boycott can be made to the Arthritis Research Campaign.