We 'can't thank you enough'.

Those are the moving words from a family to the rescuers who desperately comforted 50-year-old Douglas Lynch in the aftermath of a train explosion.

Mr Lynch's wife and two sons issued a statement at an inquest into his and colleague Darren Brown's deaths during the Channel Tunnel Rail Link construction work.

They thanked railway shunter Michael Moore, who was on the train that followed Mr Lynch and 40-year-old shunter Darren Brown, who died in the explosion on August 16, 2005.

The statement, read out by Peter Kee, counsel to Denise Lynch, and Mr Lynch's sons Michael and Stephen, said: "The family are very grateful to you and to Kevin Rix in a risky and frightening situation for you brave actions.

"I have been particularly asked to thank you for accompanying Mr Lynch for those 45 minutes or so and for comforting him and for your words.

"They can't thank you enough."

Mr Moore told the inquest jury at Gravesend's Adult Education Centre he saw what he first thought was water lying between the train tracks, and later realised was oil.

He also thought a light was flickering in the tunnel before he realised the trainwas alight.

Mr Moore, who was at the front of the train, told engine driver Kevin Rix to call the safety supervisor on his radio.

Mr Moore then jumped off the train and ran towards it before seeing what he thought was a pile of black bin bags lying on a concrete platform to his left.

It was when he heard a groan that he realised it wasn't.

"I stayed with Dougie. I was talking to him a lot.

"He mentioned his wife Denise a couple of times and he said there was an explosion," he told the inquest.

A post-mortem examination found that Mr Lynch, a father-of-two, died of severe burns while Mr Brown, from Manchester, died of multiple injuries including flash burns and a severe head injury.