Mother’s tribute to train tragedy teenager Georgia Varley as her tragic final moments are revealed at an inquest

Nov 2 2011 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

THE tragic final moments of train death teenager Georgia Varley emerged last week.

An inquest in Liverpool on Friday heard how CCTV footage captured the 16-year-old stepping off a train at James Street station.

She was seen turning and gesturing towards the train, where her friends were, before leaning against the side of the carriage, close to the doors.

Georgia then stumbled along the platform, possibly clinging to the train, before falling down the gap, where she died.

The inquest heard the popular teenager celebrated a friend’s 18th birthday at a party in Hoylake hours before she died.

A large group of young people had left the party, heading for Liverpool city centre by train. It is believed they were on their way to a bar and were debating at which station to get off.

The inquest heard the Birkenhead Sixth Form student may have tried to get back on to the train after it had begun to move when she slipped and fell down the side of the platform.

The inquest was adjourned to allow British Transport Police to continue their investigation.

Georgia lived in Bray, Ireland, for three years with her mum Paula Redmond before moving back to Wallasey at the beginning of the year to live with her dad Paul Varley.

Her mum Paula Redmond has thanked her daughter’s friends for their messages of love and support which have flooded in since the tragedy on Saturday, October 22.

She said: “Georgia was so beautiful inside and out. I knew she was very popular but I’m overwhelmed by the amount of lovely things people have been saying about her.

“People have been contacting me from up and down Ireland.

“Georgia had so many friends that I couldn’t name them all and I want them to know how much I appreciate the lovely messages we have been sent.

“Our family are all in a terrible state of shock. As a mother there is nothing worse than losing your baby. She was 16 but she was my only baby.”

Friends came together on West Kirby beach last Monday and Bray Harbour, Ireland, on Wednesday to release hundreds of lanterns into the sky in Georgia’s memory.

They will say farewell to Georgia at her funeral today (Wednesday), which will take place at Sacred Heart Church in Moreton at 9.15am.

Friends and family will walk to the church behind a horse-drawn hearse and she will be laid to rest in Bootle cemetery.

Georgia’s friends are planning to wear orange, which was her favourite colour.

Merseyside Police is considering whether abusive messages posted by internet “trolls” on Georgia’s Facebook tribute page constitute a criminal offence.