A PROMISING young footballer died after being electrocuted on a Merseyside railway line.

Dale Fleckner, 16, from Tranmere, was found by a Merseyrail driver who raised the alarm after seeing him lying on the tracks between Rock Ferry and Green Lane stations at around 6.15pm on Sunday.

It is thought he went on the line to retrieve a football and was electrocuted by the power rail.

His former head teacher spoke of “a tragic waste of talent”, while brother Paul Fleckner, 24, said Dale was simply “amazing”.

Paul was the first on the scene and tried in vain to save his little brother, who used to play for Tranmere Rovers’ youth team, by giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Paramedics scrambled up to the side of the tracks to treat the teenager, who had just finished his GCSEs at The University Academy of Birkenhead, and went to his end-of-school prom just last week.

He was taken by ambulance by Arrowe Park Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Last night, Paul said: “Everyone is still in shock. No-one believes it. He was very popular.”

Steve McMahon, principal at the academy, said: “Dale was a very popular young man who had a bright future ahead of him.

“A gifted footballer, Dale was looking forward to a clutch of good GCSE results in August to add to the maths GCSE he already achieved and he was making plans for his career. His death is a tragic waste of talent.”

A British Transport Police spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”