It is always tragic when a young healthy person dies. But sometime we can't help smirking in a rather unpleasant way as we are reminded tht once again evolution has done its work..

Paul Fowkes, 20, was killed trespassing on railway tracks near Fort Road, Tilbury, last July. The inquest into Mr Fowkes’ death, held in County Hall, Chelmsford last month, heard how Mr Fowkes, of Kelvin Road, Tilbury, and friend Jay Cosans, 22, went to the railway line at midnight to steal copper cables.

Mr Cosans told the inquest he and Paul had already collected three or four copper wires, which they left coiled-up at the side of the track ready to pick up later. He said: “We saw another cable and Paul managed to pull it down, but the other end flicked up and hit a live cable."

“There was an orange flash and I heard him scream and he collided with me."

“I remember getting up off the floor. I had bad burns on my left hand and my trainer had come off." Saldly we could not ascertain if Mr Cosans trainer survived the accident. But consider that for a moment. These planks had gone stealing cables and they did not take wire cutters with them so decided to rip the cables out with their bare hands.

Gary Mathias, coroner’s liaison officer for British Transport Police, explained: “The cable must have come into contact with the overhead line which was live. “The copper cable carries no charge.” That is easy for him to say of course but even so wire cutters with insulated handles would have been the first item in my tool kit.

Even so that does not make it OK to steal them but should people choose to break the law in electricity related way as every sensible criminal (i.e. those who make a few quid nicking cables and live to spend it down the pub) knows you should ALWAYS wear rubber shoes and gloves. As Mr Cosans did which is why he survived even if his trainer did not.

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