Premier League club leads tributes to former academy teen as games postponed following death

Police were called to a railway line following reports of a person hit by a train, but the young boy was pronounced dead on the scene.

Forest led the tributes, where they said they were "deeply saddened" by the youngster’s passing.

The club's statement read: "Everyone at Nottingham Forest is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of our former academy goalkeeper Josh Travis.

“Our thoughts are with Josh’s family and friends at this extremely difficult time."

Forest captain Ryan Yates also appeared in the comments section, where he wrote a heartbroken emoji in tribute.

Josh’s family paid tribute to him in a statement which described him as "a lad with an incredible energy for life, an infectious and mischievous smile, kind sparkling eyes, and so much love to give.

They added: "He leaves a gap in our lives that is and will always be impossible to fill, and we will miss him forever."

Aspire Football Coaching posted an emotional tribute on their social media.

They wrote: "With the blessing of his parents, everybody at Aspire FC is devastated to post surrounding the passing of our U15 goalkeeper Josh Travis.

"Josh was a fantastic goalkeeper and a great character in the group."

They added: "Everybody that came across Josh described him as a pleasure to have around with his polite and funny nature.

"Josh made a real impact in his age group, both as a footballer but more importantly as a person and will be sorely missed at the club."

The organisation has postponed all games this weekend in a gesture of respect towards the 14-year-old.

Network Rail said it requested an emergency closure of the Chestnut Grove footpath level crossing, where many floral tributes have been left.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) confirmed it was conducting a preliminary examination into the incident.

A spokesman for the RAIB said: "Our inspectors continue to gather evidence as part of the process of conducting a preliminary examination, and a decision on any further action will be taken once evidence has been reviewed."

A BTP spokesperson confirmed the boy's death was not being treated as suspicious and a file was being prepared for the coroner.

Mark Budden, Network Rail's route director for the East Midlands, said: "Our immediate thoughts are with the family and friends that have been affected by this tragic incident.

"Safety is our top priority and we are fully supporting the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) as part of their ongoing inquiries."

The crossing on the Nottingham to Lincoln line will remain closed for an initial 21 days.

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