Babbacombe Cliff Railway staff devastated after death of 'dearly loved' engineer

Staff at the Babbacombe Cliff Railway have been left 'devastated' after an engineer died in a 'tragic' incident yesterday (Sunday 4 September).

Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed this morning that a man in his 70s died during an 'industrial incident' at the site in Torquay.

Lindsay Yelland, the Chairman of Babbacombe Cliff Railway issued a statement this afternoon.

It reads: “All of us at the railway are devastated by the death of a dearly loved engineer yesterday in a tragic accident unrelated to the operation of the railway.

"We are fully cooperating with the Health and Safety Executive and no further comment will be made”.

The incident happened at around 10.10am on Sunday morning, when the engineer sustained serious injuries and died at the scene. Their next of kin have been informed.

It is not yet clear how they were injured.

Emergency services remain at the scene.

An HSE spokesperson said it is is aware of the incident and is helping police with their enquiries.

They added: "Our thoughts are with the family and those closest to the deceased during this sad time."

Oddicombe Beach and the road access leading down to it are closed and will remain so until the end of the day.

The closure impacts the South West Coast Path leading from Babbacombe Beach through to Oddicombe Beach and the path leading from St Marychurch in Torquay down to Oddicombe Beach.