Former England cricketer died after being struck by train, inquest hears

Former England cricketer Graham Thorpe died after being struck by a train at a railway station in Surrey, the opening of an inquest into his death has heard.

His wife Amanda and daughter Kitty had earlier told The Times the 55-year-old took his own life on 4 August after “suffering from major depression and anxiety”.

Coroner Simon Wickens said Thorpe died from “traumatic injuries” sustained when struck by a train at Esther railway station.

Speaking at Surrey Coroner’s Court in Woking, Mr Wickens named the medical cause of his death as “multiple injuries”.

In her interview with The Times, Mrs Thorpe revealed her husband previously made a “serious attempt” on his life in May 2022 which had resulted in a “prolonged stay in an intensive care unit.”

Thorpe played for England between 1993 and 2005 and still holds the record of being its 10th-highest scorer of all time.

The left-handed batsman struck 16 Test hundreds for England, including a debut century against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993, and represented his country 182 times in all formats – captaining the national team three times.

He played for Surrey for 17 years and moved to coaching after his playing days were over.

During the opening of the inquest into his death today, the coroner offered his “sincere condolences” not just to Thorpe’s family, but to “all those touched by his life and career”.

Mr Wickens had previously released Thorpe’s body to his family after a post-mortem was undertaken. He confirmed the body was identified by way of fingerprint comparison from an item at Thorpe’s last known address.

A date for Mr Thorpe’s full inquest will be fixed at a later time.

Tributes flooded in for one of the nation’s best test players after the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on August 5 that he had died.

The coroner had received a referral from British Transport Police.

The force said previously: “Officers were called to Esher railway station at 8.26am on August 4 to reports of a casualty on the tracks.

“Paramedics also attended, however sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident is not being treated as suspicious.”

Charities have praised Thorpe’s wife and daughter for being open about what happened, with the chief executive of the Samaritans saying it is “really important” to have honest conversations about suicide.

Julie Bentley added: “Talking openly can help to break the stigma surrounding the subject and can encourage people who are struggling to get the vital support they need.”

Current Test players Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Ben Duckett hailed Mr Thorpe after the news of his death emerged, while retired England bowler Stuart Broad described him as a “wonderful person”.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email [email protected] in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK

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