A WATCHET pensioner has died just over a month after falling from his mobility scooter while struggling to negotiate controversial safety gates at the town's Goviers Lane railway crossing.

Jim Kelly never left Williton Hospital where he was taken for treatment after suffering severe bruising and shock in the incident on October 15.

Mr Kelly, who was 78, died last Tuesday and an inquest was opened by West Somerset coroner Michael Rose last Friday but adjourned for a full hearing, which is expected to be held early next year.

With his funeral due to take place yesterday (Thursday) as the Free Press went to press, tributes were paid to the popular pensioner who had been a vociferous supporter of calls to make the railway crossing gates more accessible to the disabled.

Mr Kelly was at the forefront of a campaign highlighting the difficulties facing people in wheelchairs, on mobility scooters and those with pushchairs or prams when trying to open the gates.

Fellow campaigner and friend Izzy Sylvester said everybody was utterly shocked by his death.

"It is an absolute tragedy - Jim was one of the first people to say that something like this could happen.

"He was a well loved and highly respected member of the community, a lively and dynamic person and it's just unbelievable that this has happened."

Ms Sylvester's partner Clive Gray said he was deeply saddened by Mr Kelly's death.

"I just wish that we could have resolved the issues with these gates. Jim fell from his buggy while trying to open them and simply never recovered."

Mr Kelly is believed to have fallen from his scooter when it rolled back as he was trying to open the gates.

He told local man Brian Jones, who was one of the first people to come to his aid, that he had rolled back down the steep slope and landed in the bushes below, about eight to ten feet from where the scooter was found.

John Irven, who visited Mr Kelly in hospital, said many people had been trying to support Mr Kelly's campaign to make the gates more accessible.

"We feel extremely saddened by this news and our sympathy goes to Jim's family," he said.

Local town and district councillor Dave Westcott had known Mr Kelly for a number of years and often had lunch with him.

"If I had to sum him up it would be to say that he was everyone's friend," said Cllr Westcott.

"He was a very sociable person and always wanted to help people. I feel so very sad that he has died - he will be very much missed in the town."

Mr Kelly had moved to Watchet some years ago to be closer to relatives.

The former Army veteran, who leaves two daughters, had worked as a diamond cutter in Belgium.

The gates were installed by the West Somerset Railway in July to replace a previous flashing lights system which railway chiefs said had constantly been targeted by vandals.

At the time WSR general manager Paul Conibeare said the the new structure had been designed to meet National Rail's national standards with outward opening gates.

He said the WSR took safety very seriously and had been guided by Her Majesty's Inspectorate.

Following Mr Kelly's accident, Mr Conibeare told the Free Press in October that there was nothing to indicate that it had happened on railway property and that consequently he had no comment to make.