Powerful tributes have been paid to a Selby train crash victim and academic with a "contagious passion" to help children with a behavioural disorder.

Colleagues, friends and relatives praised the life and achievements of psychology professor Steve Baldwin, of Piccadilly, York, at a memorial event held yesterday at the University of Teesside.

They told how he wanted to "fight fire with fire" as he battled to demonstrate that children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) could be helped without the use of a drug called Ritalin.

And a close friend revealed that Prof Baldwin, one of ten people killed when a GNER train crashed at Great Heck on February 28, had never wanted to die a "long, drawn out death."

Diane Ercig said: "If it provides any consolation, he recently revealed his personal point of view...He never wanted to grow old gracefully."

Vice-chancellor Professor Derek Fraser said the event, attended by hundreds of friends and colleagues, was intended to pay tribute to Steve and celebrate his life and achievements.

He said Steve had been passionately opposed to the use of Ritalin for ADHD, preferring to provide support for families and behavioural management.

Dr Dave Woodhouse, head of psychology at the university's school of social sciences, said jokingly that he had heard The Sun was asking whether Steve Baldwin was "the most dangerous man in Britain", because of his opposition to the drug.

Colleague and friend David Stein said Steve had received funding to open a drug-free clinic to help children and had been excited that test trials were beginning to show signs of success.

"Steve's vision was to conduct clean research, free from the pharmaceutical companies... He wanted to fight fire with fire, by performing well-conducted studies that empirically demonstrated that children could be treated without drugs.

"His passion to help children was contagious... He loved the children."

Student Mark Almond said: "He was very passionate and genuinely caring. He always had five minutes for you."

Updated: 08:55 Wednesday, April 04, 2001