text: Tragic: Joshua Vaughan, 17, died in January this year when he was struck by a train . A teenage boy who had been having relationship problems with his 'on-off' girlfriend, died when he was struck by a train just minutes after he spoke to his mother on the phone, an inquest heard. Joshua Vaughan, 17, was last seen standing on a platform at Chapeltown, Sheffield, on January 7, an inquest heard. Shortly before his death, his girlfriend had sent his mother a message on Facebook, saying the teen was on a platform and that 'he was going to end it'. His mother Stacey Vaughan told the inquest how she had immediately phoned Joshua, an apprentice at an insurance firm, and found that he was crying. Mrs Vaughan said she had told her son to come home, and that she would come and fetch him at the station. Mrs Vaughan called the police, but by the time she got to the station, Joshua's body had already been found on the line, the inquest heard. Before his death, Joshua had been suffering relationship problems with his girlfriend, who was a few years younger, and his family had expressed concerns about the relationship. 'I was quite worried about Josh having to deal with this as he was just starting off in his working life,' she said. Her son had recently sought medical treatment after he seemed 'unhappy and wasn't eating as normal.' He said he didn't know why he was unhappy but his GP said 'they were due to relationship problems.' Mrs Vaughan said: 'The doctor was under the impression he didn't want to be in a relationship any more. She thought he was too young to go on medication and his problems were relationship related.' She said the couple broke up 'now and again' and her son had told her he had finished with the girl and had not been in contact with her. Mrs Vaughan said she had received a phone call from Joshua's superior a week before Christmas, where he said he had found the 17-year-old crying with marks on his wrists, and that Joshua had told him he 'did it to himself'. The teenager's parents decided to seek professional help but Joshua said he was not keen on going to the doctor's and after a 'fantastic' family Christmas he said he was thinking about patching it up with the girl. On the evening of the tragedy he went out with a male friend and seemed in a good mood. When she got to the station she said: 'I was stopped by the police. I was in a right state, panicking about what was happening. A female officer came and said a train had struck him. I was shocked and devastated. Everything after that was a blur.' British Transport Police Det Con Ian Grice said the train drivers saw something on the tracks as he approached the station. Heartbreaking: Minutes before Joshua died, his 'on-off' girlfriend had sent his mother a message on Facebook, saying the teen was on a platform at Chapeltown station and that 'he was going to end it' 'The drivers thought it was something obstructing the line. As they got closer they saw it was a person. They applied the emergency brakes straight away.' Witnesses said the teenager had earlier been seen on the platform looking at oncoming trains and CCTV footage showed him pacing up and down the platform before disappearing off camera. 'All the witnesses said Joshua was a good lad, hard-working and friendly,' said DC Grice. 'There was nothing the train driver could have done.' Joshua, of Chapeltown, died from multiple injuries. Toxicology tests showed no evidence of drugs or drink in his system. Assistant Sheffield coroner Louise Slater said she was satisfied he had acted alone but was unsure about his intentions. 'There had been some difficulties and he was struggling with his mood,' she said. 'At the time he wasn't fully able to apprecaite what he was doing.' She recorded a narrative conclusion: 'Joshua died as a result of injuries he sustained while in collision with a train. At the time when the incident occurred it is unclear whether he fully understood the consequences of his actions.' She told his parents Stacey and Christopher: 'There is nothing more you could have done on that evening or in the weeks before to prevent that tragedy.' Joshua played for local football team Chapeltown Juniors and friends later played a match in his memory.
target: Joshua Vaughan 'stepped in front of a train' in Sheffield in January .
  Joshua, 17, had suffered issues with 'on-off' girlfriend, inquest heard .
  His girlfriend messaged his mother that 'he was going to end it'
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