FAMILY, friends and colleagues gathered at Oxford station to unveil a plaque commemorating a ticket barrier man who died earlier this year.

The plaque has been put up where father-of-two Steve Cross stood for the best part of a decade before his sudden death in January.

It was officially unveiled yesterday by his two daughters Sophie, 12, and Amy, eight, alongside his mother Debra Kingsman.

Ms Kingsman said: “The girls are so proud of their daddy. It’s a lovely tribute to him and this will always be here for them to come and see.

“I am so proud of him too and First Great Western has been so supportive to us – I want to thank the company.

“The idea of the plaque is very moving and it’s fitting that it’s here where he stood for so many years.”

She added: “So many of his friends and work colleagues came along – it’s very touching.

The plaque in memory of the lifelong Liverpool fan was thought up and paid for by duty station managers Warren Bartlett and Kevin Knight, and station manager Richard Fry.

It read: “Steve Cross First Great Western Oxford Gateline 2006-2015. Father, Friend, Work Colleague, Gentle Giant.

"Always in our Hearts.

"YNWA.”

The last part of the plaque stands for the Liverpool Football Club song You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Two renditions of the song were played at his funeral in January.

Mr Knight said it would provide somewhere to remember his colleague.

He said: “He was one of a kind, you won’t find many like him. We thought it would be nice to have it right in spot where he worked, all of his gateline colleagues thought it was a brilliant idea.”

He added: “We wanted to do something and have something permanent here for Steve, especially for his family and the staff.

“I hope that on anniversaries and birthday his girls could lay flowers there.”

Mark Cooper, 38, from Blackbird Leys, was a close friend of Mr Cross for more than 20 years.

He said: “It’s still quite raw in people’s hearts and First Great Western has given us a lot of support.

“He was liked in every circle he was in. The plaque says ‘Gentle Giant’ and that was him all over.

Railway chaplain Chris Newport said before the unveiling: “We need to celebrate the life of Steve and it’s clear that First Great Western staff loved him as a worker and colleague.

“I know that he is looking over now and smiling at such a wonderful occasion.”

A collection has raised more than £2,000 for a trust fund for his daughters.