The family of Kelly Jobanputra confirmed she has died aged 40. The journalist was hit by a train between Swindon and Oxford on Friday afternoon. In a statement to the Swindon Advertiser, her father, John Stooke, said: “We are completely and utterly bereft to lose such a vibrant, attractive, courageous and well-loved family member at such a very young age.
“She was in good spirits when she left at lunchtime to go to Asda,” he continued.
“It seems that, whilst the circumstances are not at all clear, this may well have been, in the end, an unintended and tragic accident.
“Our thoughts are not solely with the devastation to our own family. We also believe the train driver was naturally traumatised and he or she also remains very much in our thoughts and prayers.”
All lines between Kelly’s hometown of Swindon and Dicott Parkway were closed for several hours while emergency services attended the fatal incident.
She was known for her work on BBC Radio, where she spent 15 years presenting before moving to produce a daytime show on BBC Radio 6.
She often used her maiden name, Kelly Stooke, as her professional byline.
The presenter also wrote for the Swindon Web as ‘Mmum about town’.
Last month, she shared her review of Blenheim Palace for Bristol 24/7 with her 487 Twitter followers.
A picture which accompanied the review showed Kelly beaming with her arms outstretched as she posed in front of the palace.
According to the publication, an inquest into her death will be held at a later date.
The family said Kelly’s death is the second tragedy the family have endured after her brother, Corrie Stooke, died in what they described as equally distressing circumstances 15 years ago.
Reports by The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald in 2004 confirmed Corrie had died by heroin overdue aged 31 on December 7, 2003.
The following year, John told the publication he was the “best son and brother any family could wish for”.
He said the drug would “inflict its torture on anyone who goes near it”.
The coroner, William Bache, said in a statement obtained by the publication: “It is undisputed that Corrie Stooke had for a number of years abused a variety of drugs and this included heroin, but this addiction makes it little short of a tragedy.
“He had an understanding family who did all they could possibly do to help him overcome that addiction, but it is my experience that even the most strenuous efforts they can still relapse.”