The teenager who was killed after being struck by a train near Burnham-On-Sea on Sunday night (May 25th) has been named.
Jake Bowles, 16, was killed the day after he finished school. He was hit by a train near to Highbridge and Burnham station shortly before 9pm on Sunday, as reported here.
The Year 11 student at Brymore Academy in Cannington had just been celebrating at the school’s leavers’ service on Saturday and hoped to go on to set up his own business.
Mark Thomas, the head teacher at the academy, said this week that students, staff and parents have been left shocked by the tragedy. Jake had been a pupil at Brymore for three years.
Mr Thomas said: “He was a very bright boy, very good at agriculture and maths. We had a leavers’ service on Saturday and they all had to write in a leavers’ book. He said he wanted to own his own business.”
“He was a big character in the school, a very big personality. We are a small school and he was known to everyone. He was certainly very proud of the history of the school, and joined the Old Brymorians, and he was very supportive of younger students.”
“Once the leavers ceremony happened on Saturday and the sports days was finished, which Jake was a time keeper at, everyone left the school for half term. None of his friends seem to know what happened. It is a mystery and very tragic.”
The school released a statement on their Facebook page which read: “Brymore is saddened and shocked to hear of the passing of our Year 11, Jake Bowles. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Jake’s family and friends and as a school community we will do all we can to support Brymore boys through this difficult time.”
