Tributes have been paid to a father-of-two who was killed after being hit by a train.
Aden Ashurst was working as a contractor for Network Rail at the time of the tragic incident on Wednesday, April 8.
The 51-year-old, from Wigan, died after being hit by a service operated by London Northwestern Railway in Northamptonshire.
His 'heartbroken' family have now paid tribute to the man they described as 'the life and soul of the party'.
His mother, Jean, added: "Aden was always full of fun. There was never a quiet moment when he was around.
"He was a big character and a complete joker."
Mr Ashurst, who was in his 50s, was employed by engineering firm AmcoGiffen.
His mother, Jean, described it as his 'dream job' and said he had worked hard to gain the qualifications he needed to become a civil engineer.
At the time of his death, he was away from home carrying out maintenance work on the West Coast Mainline.
Mr Ashurst's family say they are still not sure about the exact circumstances of his death.
"We don't know exactly what happened," Jean said. "I have been told he was walking down the track and the train has come and hit him at 90mph."
Police and paramedics attended, but Mr Ashurst was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has been informed and an investigation has since been launched to establish the full circumstances of what happened.
His family has since been inundated with messages of love and support from people who knew Mr Ashurst.
However, Jean has been unable to break the news of her son's death to her husband and Mr Ashurst's father, Thomas, who suffers from dementia and lives in a care home.
"It is heartbreaking," she said.
"I have not been able to visit him for five weeks so we have not told him because we do not know how he will react.
"It has made it 50 times worse with this virus. I cannot even be with my family."
Mr Ashurst's colleagues observed a three-minute silence for him on Wednesday morning and Jean praised their 'fantastic' support they had offered her in recent days.
Mr Ashurst, a keen gardener, leaves behind his two children; daughter Layla-Grace, 2, and son, Michael, 12.
The family say his body has not yet been returned to Wigan as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, they hope to eventually hold a fitting farewell ceremony for him.
"I want to give him a big funeral when everything is back to normal because that is what he would have wanted," said Jean. "He loved the limelight."
James Dean, Network Rail’s West Coast Mainline South route director, said: “It is with great sadness I can confirm that a railway employee died after being struck by a train on Wednesday 8 April.
“The tragedy took place just before 11am near Roade on a southbound line between Northampton and London Euston.
“Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family and loved ones at this time.
“We are assisting emergency services and safety examiners with their investigations into this incident.”
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