Heartache for husband of ex-BBC presenter hit and killed by train

Vikesh Jobanputra left his late wife Kelly a heartbreaking tribute.

The husband of an ex-BBC presenter who died after being hit by a train has paid a heartbreaking tribute to his late wife.

Vikesh Jobanputra wrote ‘forever beautiful x’ underneath a picture of them together, just days after Kelly died.

Tributes for the mother-of-two poured in as news broke of her tragic death.

The 40-year-old was killed on the line near her home in Swindon last Friday.

Her father John Stooke said it was a ‘tragic accident’ as he paid tribute to his ‘well-loved’ daughter.

He 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.’

It has now emerged the mother-of-two raised hundreds of pounds for charity over the years, as she raised awareness for postnatal depression.

It was an issue that was ‘close to her heart’ ever since the birth of her first daughter in 2011, when she was helped out of a ‘very dark tunnel’ by her family.

A few years later in 2013, she ran the Bristol 10k in memory of Emma Cadywould, a wife of an Army Major who became severely depressed after the birth of her son and threw herself underneath a train in Swindon.

After finishing the race on behalf of the Association for Postnatal Illness, Kelly said she ran for all the women who have ‘suffered in silence with this terrible condition’.

She wrote at the time: ‘I also want to say a big thank you to my husband Vikesh and my wonderful mum and dad for how much they helped me when I was ill after my daughter was born in 2011.

‘To put it simply, they helped me find a light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Last but not least, I want to say to my darling little daughter Mya that she fills my heart with joy every single day.’

And in 2016, Kelly raised more than £500 for the children’s charity NSPCC by jumping out of a plane.

In a statement yesterday, her dad John said she was in ‘good spirits’ when she left her home at lunchtime to go to Asda.

He said: ‘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.’

Kelly’s former colleague Dan Chisholm paid tribute to his ‘lovely friend’ on Twitter.

He said: ‘My lovely friend and former BBC colleague Kelly Jobanputra has died.

‘A beautiful bright light has gone out way too soon. Sending love to Vik, their children, extended family and friends.

‘Sleep well Kels; thank you for bringing such joy into my life. Friendship like yours is rare.’

Kelly, previously known by her maiden name Stooke, worked on local BBC radio for 15 years before producing a daytime show for Radio 6 Music in London.

The 40-year-old, who was married to husband Vikesh, also wrote for Swindon Web, the Swindon Advertiser and 365 Bristol, and worked in marketing at the British Computing Society before her death.

She turned 40 in April, and welcomed her second child, a boy, with Vikesh last year. They are also parents to seven-year-old Mya.

An inquest into Kelly’s death will be held at a later date.