FORMER colleagues have paid tribute to an "outstanding" lecturer who jumped to his death in front of a train.

Raymond Fryatt, who worked as a senior lecturer at Woolwich College, Plumstead Road, died after he was struck by a train at Beckenham Junction station.

In a tragic twist, the 71-year-old's death last week mirrored that of his schizophrenic son Richard, 25, who did the same 13 years ago.

Mr Fryatt retired from his post as deputy head of electronics at the college nearly 10 years ago.

His old work pals at the college, now called Greenwich Community College, were left horrified when they heard the news.

Electronics lecturer Tony Bartolo, 57, said: "I can't believe it. I worked with him for more than 10 years.

"He was an outstanding lecturer. He was very dynamic and always kept the students interested.

"He did a lot of practical work, rather than run-of-the-mill textbook teaching. He was always well turned out, wearing a suit and glasses and he had a little beard.

"I heard about his son jumping in front of a train but I never thought he would do it too. It's just so sad."

Another former colleague, 53-year-old Alan Penny, said Mr Fryatt started working at the college in the early 70s and worked there for more than 20 years.

He said: "He was such a nice guy and knew his business well. My thoughts go out to his family."

Mr Fryatt's wife Molly says her husband had been suffering anxiety and depression following their move to their new home in Chislehurst last month.

Mr Fryatt had been particularly worried about work he had hired a gardener to do, when he left his home at 5am on September 12.

Mrs Fryatt wrote to News Shopper on the morning of her husband's disappearance, complaining of the difficulties they were having with a contractor which had promised to remove a leylandii tree from their property.

A footnote added her husband had left home early that morning and had not yet returned.

Mrs Fryatt, 70, said: "I got up around 7.30am and just had a feeling of terrible dread.

"I knew he must have done something. Raymond had not been feeling well and was taking sleeping tablets.

"But I think he didn't take them that night."

Mrs Fryatt's first hope was he had gone to their sailing club in Rochester.

Police checks revealed Mr Fryatt had not visited his club.

Mrs Fryatt said: "At 10am the police called at my home and said they had found Raymond at Beckenham Junction station.

"The police were very supportive indeed. They stayed with me and insisted they call somebody to come and sit with me."

The couple's midwife daughter Clare Savage joined Mrs Fryatt from Leicester later that day.

Of the deaths of her husband and son the grandmother-of-three said: "All you can be is supportive and help them as much a possible.

"But you just don't know how they are feeling.

"How can you if you haven't been through it yourself?"

Mrs Fryatt, who would have celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary next year, added: "It is a dreadful tale. The trouble with both illnesses is you just don't know enough.

"There is much more awareness these days but when my son was ill we didn't know if it was just his age or what."

The couple had been trying to move house over the past 18 months and Mrs Fryatt thinks the stress of this may have pushed her husband over the edge.

"By the time we moved in he was hyper-anxious. It was all just so quick, the depression developed so fast and none of the tablets seemed to be working.

"It was the move which is responsible for this, it was the clincher. It turned his mind.

"Of course I wish we had never moved. If I'd known this was going to happen we would have stayed put."

An inquest into Mr Fryatt's death was opened and adjourned at Bromley Coroner's Court on September 14.