The parents of a young soldier who died after being hit by train have paid tribute to their selfless and loving son.

Will Brutnell, a former Brockenhurst College student, died on February 9 at a railway crossing in Totton.

As reported, paramedics and police rushed to the scene at Junction Road shortly before 9pm but the teenager was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokesman for the British Transport Police told the Daily Echo they are still investigating incident which was not being treated as suspicious.

Now the 18-year-old’s parents, Stuart Brutnell and Maria Wood, have paid tribute to the caring and thoughtful young man and say he will be greatly missed by his family and many friends.

Daily Echo:

Mr Brutnell said: “He was an absolutely fantastic lad. He was selfless – he would do anything for anyone. He always enjoyed life and he really got on and did whatever he wanted to do.

“He was always such a happy boy and he had a great sense of humour.”

The former Highcliffe School pupil went on to study public services at college and was a member of both the air cadets and army cadets.

The youngster from Christchurch joined the army in September last year. He was completing the second phase of his training in Bovington and had been assigned to the Blues and Royals.

His mother said he was a popular young man who had a wide range of interests including paragliding, camping and going to speedway races with his step-father Gary.

“He was lovely,” she said.

Daily Echo:

“He went to Wales with the cadets and got his silver wings, which he was very proud of – he phoned us from the top of Snowdonia to say that he had done it. He would try anything.”

She added: “He had a lot of friends. The college held a memorial service for him where everyone wrote what they would miss about him. Everyone loved him.”

Will’s funeral is being held at Church of St Mary the Virgin in Bransgore on March 5, at 11am. 

His parents said it will be a celebration of his life and have requested flowers from family members only.
Donations can be made to the Royal British Legion via Moody’s Funeral Directors.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 405040.