Tributes laid to rail stab victim

The men lay out the cards, flowers and Welsh flag

The brother-in-law and a best friend of a Welsh man stabbed to death at a railway station in France have laid tributes to him at the spot where he died.

Aaron Powell, 56, from Cardiff, died from a chest wound caused by a machete or axe during an attack at the main railway station in Orleans, south of Paris, on 10 April.

Aaron Powell, with wife Marie, and granddaughter Renee, three

His brother-in-law, Paul McGann, and family friend, Eric Harmer, travelled to the French city to leave flowers, tribute cards from people who knew him, and a Welsh flag at the site in the sprawling station when the attack took place.

After the tearful ceremony, the two men also had private meetings with the city's mayor and state prosecutor over the investigation in which a 19-year-old local man has been charged with Mr Powell's murder.

Mechanic Mr Powell was holidaying in France to overcome the death of his daughter, Mandy, 20, who was killed in a hit-and-run incident in December 2000.

He was en route to Spain following the trial of the driver who killed Ms Powell. The man was jailed for six years.

Paul McGann and Eric Harmer made the trip to Orleans

Early reports suggested a group of rowdy youths had been seen in the station at the time of the Mr Powell's death.

In addition to laying the tributes to their friend, the two men who travelled from Wales also hoped to find some clues about the reason for the attack.

Mr Harmer said: "Aaron was a totally non-confrontational person and that's what makes this situation hard to understand.

"If he was in any danger, he would have seen it straightaway and he would have found a way to avoid antagonising anybody or creating a situation that would have ended as it has done."

Cards at the spot where Mr Powell died

Mr McGann said: "It's not long since Mandy's tragic death - how much is one family supposed to take?"

Rugby fan Mr Powell had been travelling with Claire Alderman, 29, a friend of his daughter.

The two were due to be followed shortly by his wife, Marie, and granddaughter - Mandy's child - Renee, three.

Ms Alderman, who was to be Renee's nanny in Spain, said she and Mr Powell had been at the station for around 40 minutes waiting for their train when Mr Powell decided to buy a phone card and some sandwiches for the journey.

She said: "Aaron had been out of my sight for about five minutes when I heard someone scream 'your friend, your friend'".

"I ran from the bottom of the stairs to the top and saw people trying to revive him. I knew it was serious."