STATION staff paid tribute to a former colleague as they helped entertain commuters on their journeys home yesterday.

At 5.30pm a flashmob choir spontaneously erupted into song underneath the departures board at Oxford Railway Station.

It was part of a fundraiser organised in memory of station employee Steve Cross to support the charity SeeSaw who helped Mr Cross' daughters cope after his sudden death from a heart attack in 2015.

Duty station manager Warren Bartlett said: "I knew Steve very well. I've worked here for seven years and I started on the gate with him, he taught me everything I know.

"It was a terrible shock for everyone. He left two young girls behind and SeeSaw helped them a lot.

"We thought we have got to give something back.

"We try to do what we can for charities and this is one that means a lot, given how fond we all were of Steve.

"It shows we are part of the local community and involved in it, not just a place where people come to travel."

The station has already raised thousands of pounds for SeeSaw through its platform book library.

Yesterday volunteers gave out cakes and passed around collection buckets, encouraging passengers to dig deep for the charity who help grieving children and young people in Oxfordshire.

Singers from the Oxford Rock Choir, including some station staff, kicked off with the Shakin' Stevens classic Merry Christmas Everyone, blending into the crowd before revealing their festive outfits.

Mr Cross' family were among those attending the event.

The dad-of-two from Cowley was only 38 when he died from a heart attack.

Former customer ambassador Tim King, who now runs the Cotswold Line, remembers starting in Oxford the day after the death was announced.

He said: "Everyone was obviously very down and low.

"We had to do something and we started with the book sales.

"It's amazing how generous people are."

SeeSaw fundraiser Jane Elliott said the support was vital in allowing the group to continue its work.

She said: "We need £350,000 a year to run the service and it is the only one of its type in Oxford.

"But events like this also help us raise awareness about what we do, in case families ever need our support.

"Sudden deaths are always a shock and often people do not know who they can turn to for help."