Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Alan Weston

Schoolboy writes rap to cope with death of cousin, 12, killed on railway tracks

A cousin of tragic James Myers has recorded a heartfelt musical tribute to the 12-year-old after his death.

James was fatally electrocuted after climbing on to live railway tracks near his home in Bootle last month.

Since then, tributes have poured in to the Everton-mad youngster, a crowdfunding page for the family has raised nearly £2,000, and a minute's applause is due to be held at Everton's home game against Tottenham tomorrow.

Emergency services near the rail track on Bedford Road, Bootle. (Liverpool Echo)

Now James's cousin Olliver Clarke has put his feelings into music by putting together a home-made recording and posting it on YouTube, where it was viewed more than 1,000 times in just 24 hours.

In it, he raps: "Fly my little angel in the sky... It's killing me that I didn't have a chance to say goodbye... Little James is now an angel."

Olliver, from Kirkby, said: "I wrote it as James was my little cousin and was taken far too soon from this earth.

"I did it to pay my respects to him.

"The lyrics came to my head straightaway. It was my way of dealing with my grief over what happened.

"It's hit all of us hard.

"Recording music has helped me in the past with other situations. It was the best way of expressing how I felt."

Olliver's dad Gary, 40, said: "James's mum and dad Sharon and Kevin were really touched by it.

"I thought it was fantastic what Olly wrote and said."

James managed to get on the Northern Line tracks which were isolated as soon as rail bosses were informed that a young boy had been seen on the railway line in Bedford Road, Bootle.

Three separate investigations are now ongoing into the tragedy.

They are being led by British Transport Police, Network Rail and the Office for Rail and Road who are considering whether to prosecute over health and safety breaches.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.