A TALENTED student has died after being hit by a train on New Year’s Day.
Cambridge undergraduate Calum Burt was struck down by a freight service near to Longannet Power Station in Fife.
The 20-year-old, who was a talented violinist, was described by friends as an “inspiration” and a “great example of youth”.
It’s though that Calum was home from university for the Christmas holidays at the time of the accident.
He is believed to have been struck by the train at around 10am as it sped through his home village of Culross.
Mr Burt was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics who attended the incident.
British Transport Police (BTP) are investigating the incident, but believe there to be no suspicious circumstances.
One local resident, who asked not to be named, described the accident.
“We heard it was a train driver coming back who saw him. The police came flying through with flashing lights,” the resident said.
Calum was in his second year of a Natural Sciences degree at Churchill College, Cambridge University.
A former Dollar Academy pupil, Calum won school prizes for physics and maths during his final year.
The promising student lists some of his favourite bands on Facebook as The Smiths, The Doors and Oasis.
Sympathy
Richard Partington, a senior tutor at Cambridge University, described Calum as a “wonderful person.”
He said: “Churchill College was shocked and devastated to learn that Mr Calum Burt, a second-year undergraduate Natural Scientist, had been tragically killed on New Years Day.
“Calum was a wonderful person, happy, full of life, focused and immensely talented, with a great future ahead of him. He will be terribly missed and our sincerest sympathies go to his family and friends at this dreadful time.
“We will be memorialising Calum in college in due course.”
Tributes to Calum were made by his devastated friends through Twitter.
Jodie Muirhead, said: “Thoughts are with the friends and family of Calum Burt. What an inspiration and a great example of our youth. You will be sadly missed. RIP xx”
Kirsten McIntyre, said: “Absolutely shocked and upset beyond belief that one of the guys in my year at school was killed yesterday. RIP Calum Burt.”
The train which struck Calum was the 0900 Inverkeithing to Moss End service.
A BTP spokesperson said: “BTP officers were called to the line to Longannet Power Station on Sunday January 1 following the report of a man being struck by a train.
“BTP and Fife Constabulary Officers attended the incident which was reported to police at 10.23am and is currently being treated as non-suspicious.
“Paramedics also attended but the man, believed to be a 20-year-old from Culross, was pronounced dead at the scene.
“A full report will be submitted to the local procurator fiscal.”
