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Second heartbreak for mum of footy-mad teen Dale Fleckner electrocuted on Wirral railway line


THE FAMILY of a promising young footballer electrocuted on a Merseyside railway line today spoke of their heartbreak as tributes poured in for the popular teenager.
Dale Fleckner, 16, from Tranmere, was found by a Merseyrail driver who raised the alarm after seeing him lying on the tracks between Rock Ferry and Green Lane station, Wirral, on Sunday evening.
It is the second tragedy to hit his devastated mum Deborah, who lost a baby son almost exactly 18 years ago to the day.
Dale was playing in a caged football pitch in Union Street, just around the corner from his home, when it is thought he scaled a high wall to retrieve a football and was electrocuted by a 750-volt power line on the track.
Residents claimed it was common for youngsters to get on to the railway track - which runs parallel with the caged playing area - through an insecure part of the wire mesh fence on top of the wall.
Dale's mum was too upset to speak yesterday, but his older brother Paul Fleckner, 24, said Dale was simply 'amazing'.
Paul was the first on the scene after the alarm was raised and tried in vain to save his little brother - who used to play for Tranmere Rovers youth team - by giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Paramedics scrambled up to the side of the tracks to treat the teenager who had just done his GCSEs at the University Academy of Birkenhead, formerly Rock Ferry High School and Park High School, and went to his end-of-school prom only last week.
He was taken by ambulance to Arrowe Park hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Paul told the ECHO: 'Dale was just amazing. He was very popular with hundreds of friends. Everyone is still in shock. No-one believes it.
'His life was football - he would come out to play with his mates every day'
The youngest son to mum Deborah and dad Tony, who lives nearby, Dale had two older brothers, and two sisters, one older and one younger.
Fighting back tears, Paul described how he climbed on to the track to search for his brother after he was reported missing.
He said: 'He was just on the bridge and I pulled him out from behind the rail.
'I knew straightaway he was dead. I tried to give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for 20 minutes before paramedics arrived.'
Dale's mum is originally from Coventry and his grandad Andy Clarkson travelled from there to comfort the family.
He said: 'She still hasn't got over the loss of her baby David and was about to mark the 18th anniversary of his death on Wednesday. She said David and Dale will be together now.
'Dale was a typical 16-year-old boy - he played football, had fun, chased girls.'
His former headteacher spoke of 'a tragic waste of talent'. Steve McMahon, principal at the academy, said: 'Dale was a very popular young man who had a bright future ahead of him.
'A gifted footballer, Dale was looking forward to a clutch of good GCSE results in August to add to the maths GCSE he already achieved and he was making plans for his career.
'His death is a tragic waste of talent and potential.'
He said Dale joined Rock Ferry High at the age of 11 and was one of five siblings who had attended the secondary.
A number of people at the scene said that it was common for youngsters to climb on to the track from the playing area, and called on Network Rail to make the fencing more secure.
Network Rail spokesman Keith Lumley said: 'It concerns me to learn that youngsters frequently gain access to the railway line to retrieve footballs, and this tragic death serves as a warning to everyone of the consequences of trespassing on the railway.
'The railways on Merseyside are powered by 750 volts of electricity running through a third rail at ground level and coming into contact with it will almost inevitably result in the person being seriously injured, if not killed.'

The echo

Sad Loss R.I.P. Dale.

So how do we stop this happening again, and what will the reactions be.

If you remove the cages people will complain.
If you put a "lid" on them kids will climb on them and jump off or jump up and down on them until they cave in, because that's what kids do.
If you make the fence more secure they'll just find a new way to get in or break down the new fence, because they want the football back.
If locals all knew that kids went on the track to get the balls back why didn't they tell Network Rail, why didn't they try and warn the kids, because everyone just thought "it'll be okay"

Everyone (myself included) thinks that "it will never happen to them", and the day it does is that one day too late.

I feel for the family, especially for his brother Paul, he'll always wonder if there was something else he could have done, and some images just never leave you.
What you have to do is to try and keep hold of the good ones.

Really Feel for his brother finding him, but what can we do? they said on North West Tonight that the fence has been made higher and it was a big wall to get up.

this has been happening a long time, i live of Union Street and this is even brought up at monthly neighbourhood meetings were the police are present and the policeman there says incidents like this should be reported to the police at Well Lane Police Station.

i cant belive the kids are doing this after what happened to that poor lad

Heartbroken mum plans street party in memory of her beloved son Dale


THE heartbroken mum of teenager Dale Fleckner, who was electrocuted on a railway track, is planning to throw a street party in his memory.

His mother Debbie wants to celebrate her son’s short life and thank local people for their support.

She paid tribute to her “lovely son" saying he made everyone smile and loved his football and X-Box.

The mum-of-five told the Globe how the whole family had been overwhelmed by the level of support from the local community following Dale’s tragic death last Sunday.

Debbie, who was also marking the 18th anniversary of her other son’s death this week, said the public reaction showed how much her son was loved.

She said: “Dale was a lovely lad who, like most teenagers, loved his football and X-Box.

"He would always be out playing or have his mates in the garden having a laugh. He was such a polite lad and never disrespected anyone – he was very well liked.

“His brothers and sisters have not taken it well but we are being helped through by the support of our local community and we want to thank them for that.”

Dale had been trying to fetch a football from the tracks between Rock Ferry and Green Lane railway station minutes before the tragedy.

He died later in hospital.

Now Debbie wants to commemorate the 16 year old’s life with a huge street party after his funeral.

She said: “I had planned to visit Coventry this week where my other son David is buried and I found out that Dale had organised a party at the house while I was gone.

"So I decided to still throw that party in his memory for all his family and friends. We are expecting more than 600 people at the funeral and we are hoping they will all join us back at home to celebrate Dale.

“Dale always played out in the rain so he will no doubt make it rain for the street party!”

Dale’s funeral will take place on Monday, July 11, at St Paul’s Church, Old Chester Road, Birkenhead at 11am.

Friends and family are then invited afterwards to a street party in Cobden Court.


THE GLOBE

Thats a lovely idea,a chance for everyone to share their memories of him.
RIP Dale.

they are just setting fireworks off now in memory of Dale, my wife and son went to st pauls church today, a very very good turn out for the poor lad, R.I.P my thoughts are with his family

Awwww poor lad:(R.I.P dale <3

I heard (this is an un-official source, sorry Stuy. I will try to find 'it')
There is a Mahoosive Zumba class, planned at Mersey Park 10-11am on Saturday 16th July. It will cost £3 per person and ALL proceedings will go towards pay towards Dales headstone.

yes RUDE your right, it some one called Philipa doing it

Oh good! Lemonhead, can you help me find an official source then, please?
Or can someone on here 'in the know' provide proper details?
There are potentially a hell of a lot of 'Zumber-esquers' right here, on Wiki.

i will find out more tomorrow, i will get my wife to get in touch with Philipa and see if she is ok to put details on here, i can't see it being a problem,

I think I stll have Philipa's phone number so if you get stuck I can give her a call for you.