TRIBUTES have been pouring in to the Ashburton father-of-two

who was killed by a train in front of his wife and two

daughters while trying to save the family's dog.

Friends and colleagues of Julian Gunning, 49, described him

as a 'sports-mad' family man.

Mr Gunning had been visiting relatives in Horsham, Sussex,

when he died.

He was out walking with his wife Caroline and their

daughters Victoria, 12, and Phillipa, eight, when the family's

red setter Caspar ran across the railway track.

Mr Gunning died instantly, hit by the train travelling at

75mph, trying to retrieve the dog which it is understood had

become trapped between a rail and a wooden walkway.

The tragedy, in which Caspar also died, happened at the

Itchingfield crossing near Christ's Hospital railway station on

Monday.

Today his brother-in-law Martyn Luckhurst, 45, of Totnes,

said the family were 'devastated'.

“It was tragic and a horrible death and very difficult to

comprehend.

“He loved his family and they are all in shock. They are

just trying to come to terms with what has happened.”

The driver of the 11.11am Southampton to London Victoria

service attempted to make an emergency stop, but could not do

so in time.

An inquest has been opened and adjourned in Mr Gunning's

death.

His family have already released a statement through the

British Transport Police saying he was a 'devoted family

man'.

It is understood they are being comforted by relatives in

Sussex.

Friends and neighbours in Ashburton have echoed their

sentiments.

Neighbour and friend Martyn Matthews, 55, and his wife

Sandra, 54, were devastated when the news was broken to them by

another friend on Tuesday evening.

The couple, who had known him for at least 25 years, enjoyed

a convivial relationship with the Gunnings, having them over

for dinner once in a while.

Mr Matthews said: “He has been a close friend and adviser

for pretty much all the time we have known him.

“He was a super guy. A great family man, devoted to his

children and Caroline.

“He was a great sports lover and liked his horses — he used

to like watching horse racing and he played football. He was a

good sportsman. I used to try to get him to play golf but he

refused saying he would become hooked.

“He was a lovely man, extremely helpful in his business and

would bend over backwards to help out.”

Mr Gunning, originally from Moretonhampstead, was a

well-known face around Ashburton mainly due to his work.

His late father Peter was the parish church warden for a

number of years. It is believed his mother Margaret still lives

in the area but is staying with relatives elsewhere.

For many years he was a financial adviser with the

Prudential but he left in late 1999.

Stephen Horswell is the managing director of Torquay-based

Protocol Capital Management for whom Mr Gunning had worked for

four years, providing impartial financial advice to

clients.

The tragic news was broken to Mr Horswell by Mrs Gunning,

who phoned him on Tuesday. The tragedy has rocked the small

firm.

Mr Horswell, 44, said: “Julian was a passionate man, both

about his work and his family. Caroline and his daughters were

the loves of his life and so, ironically, was his dog.

“He had a great interest in family life and, from a personal

point of view, this overflowed elsewhere. Our daughter has been

quite ill and he was regularly on the phone asking how she

was.

“He was very keen on his sport and his family. He was quite

a difficult man to describe because he was quite private, but

when involved in areas he was passionate about you saw a

different side to him.”

Mr Gunning, a keen West Ham United supporter, was also a

regular face to the Monday night pub quiz at the Exeter Inn

pub, owned by his close friends Pat Billington, her daughter

Carol, 46 and Carol's husband Jim, 50.

Ms Billington said: “He was such a good friend, it's been a

terrible shock. He used to come in for the quiz night, probably

only about once a month, but the biggest part of him I will

remember him for is his friendship. I had known him for about

22 years.

“He was a West Ham supporter and many years ago, when they

came down to Devon to play Plymouth Argyle, he took me to the

match with him.

“He was a lovely man and nothing was ever too much for him.

He was always pleasant.”

Police have launched an investigation but are not treating

his death as suspicious.

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