A CORONER is calling for improvements to a railway wall after the death of a man on tracks in Atherton.

An inquest in Bolton heard how 22-year-old Adam Connelly probably climbed over the 5ft wall beside a bridge between Engine Lane and Peel Lane before being hit by a train and killed.

Assistant coroner Rachel Griffin heard how Mr Connelly was born in Bolton and grew up in Tyldesley with ambitions to join the army. But he contracted meningitis when he was aged 19 and missed his final medical examination.

Instead Mr Connelly, who had studied joinery at college, was employed doing agency work.

His parents, Darren and Joanne Edwards described how he was a popular and happy young man but began taking cannabis and got into debt with people who were threatening him.

The weekend before his death, on March 10, Mrs Edwards said he stayed in his bedroom at his Park Street, Tyldesley, home and then, on the Monday morning, walked out of his job.

She said he told her: "The only place I am going to feel safe is in a box."

Close friend Adam Rees told the inquest how Mr Connelly had begun taking cocaine at weekends a few months before his death and had once showed him a spot on the railway track where he claimed to have previously tried to end his life.

Mr Connelly's body was spotted by the driver of a train on the Manchester to Wigan line at 7.16am on March 10.

He had suffered multiple fatal injuries but it is not known which of several trains using the line hit him after he was last seen alive at 8pm the previous evening.

PC David Cawley, who examined the scene said that, although fencing and a bridge were secure, he could easily climb over a wall beside the bridge steps.

Ms Griffin said that, while she was satisfied no third party was involved in Mr Connelly's death, there were no witnesses to the tragedy and cocaine found in his system could have affected his behaviour and so she could not conclude he committed suicide.

Recording a narrative conclusion, she said: "Adam Lee Connelly was found dead on a railway track with injuries consistent with being struck by a train. The circumstances about how these injuries came about are unclear."

She added that she will be sending her report to the chief executive at Network Rail calling for improvements to be made to the trackside wall.

"Action should be taken," she said.

Speaking after the inquest Mr Connelly's dad, Darren Edwards welcomed the move.

"If it prevents someone else dying it would be a good thing," he said.

Paying tribute to his son, he added: He was a happy lad and never hurt anybody. He always had time for people."