A 10-year-old boy who died when he was placed on a railway track in the arms of his mother and was hit by a speeding train was unlawfully killed, a coroner has ruled.

Rubina Khan crouched down and whispered into the ear of her son Amaar, who was wearing his school uniform, before the pair clambered down and lay on the tracks side by side.

Both were killed instantly seconds later when they were hit by the 8.41am Bedwyn to London Paddington service, which was travelling at about 99mph, at about 9.45am.

Amaar’s backpack full of school books was found by officers on a bench on the platform.

Investigators on the track after a woman and her son were killed in Slough in 2014

Khan told her brother she was going to the dentist with her 10-year-old son, Amaar, before the pair shortly before the pair died on the tracks at Slough station in 2014.

The mother-of-three bought an adult and child train ticket to Windsor before walking to an empty platform where no trains were due to stop.

The 46-year-old was seen by train driver David Campbell-Kinder to bend down to talk to her son, who was in his school uniform, before climbing onto the tracks with him in her arms and laying down, Reading Coroner's Court was told.

The pair were killed by a high speed train passing through the station.

Another of Ms Khan's sons, Humz, attended the first day of the inquest today

Amaar's backpack full of school books was later found by officers on a bench on the platform.

In a statement read to the Berkshire Coroner Peter Bedford, her brother Zahire Khan said he was surprised to see the pair on September 23, 2014, when he stopped and spoke to them around 30 minutes before they died.

He said: 'I had never seen her in town before and it was a school day and Amaar was with her... but a nice unexpected surprise.

'We stopped and had a brief chat. Amaar appeared to be happy and excited and I asked 'what are you lot doing here?'

'Rubina smiled and said she had an appointment with her dentist in London and Amaar had the day off. I just said 'okay' and then waved and said our goodbyes and walked off in opposite directions.

'Looking back now there was nothing during our meeting that gave me concern and it was just a normal meeting between friends and family.'

Her husband of 22 years, Jahinger Khan, grew concerned about his wife and son when he returned to an empty home in

Slough, and then received a call from Amaar's school that he had not shown up for lessons.

He drove to his mother-in-law's house where he spoke to Zahire, who had told him he had seen them that morning.

They drove to train station that was by then the centre of a police investigation.

Police at Slough station in 2016 after Ms Khan and her son died on the railway tracks

Zahire said: 'I immediately thought something was not right and told Jahinger to stay in the car and I ran to the station to speak to an officer.

'I explained my sister and nephew were missing and was asked to accompany him to a vehicle. The officer explained there had been an incident involving a lady and a child and then I feared the worst.

'I started to panic and wanted to leave and I needed to get away.'

The inquest into the Mrs Khan and Amaar's deaths, which is due to be heard over two days, continues.

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123, visit a local Samaritans branch, or see www.samaritans.org for details.