Tributes to Teenage Drowning Victim John Simmons

Tributes have been paid to the teenager who drowned in a lake after falling from a makeshift raft.

John Simmons, of Parliament Street, had been playing with four friends just before midnight on Tuesday night when they all fell into the water off Senator Road in Thatto Heath. The 15-year-old's companions managed to escape to raise the alarm but he could not be saved. His body was recovered by Merseyside Police's underwater search team at around 2am.

Distraught youngsters and their families gathered round the lake - locally known as the Clegg - to lay flowers by the now still and silent water. The Cowley Language pupil, known as Simmo to his many friends, was described as a 'funny caring lad, who was very protective of his loved ones and would do anything for anybody'. John's teenage girlfriend left a dozen roses and a card which read 'my baby'.

Paul Livesey, assistant head at the Broadway site of the college, said: "His death has had a devastating effect on the school and he will be sadly missed. We have 250 pupils at our site and he must have known them all.

"He was a typical year 10 lad who was very popular amongst his peers. I have known him since he first came to us in year seven and had such a love of life.

"John loved his sport and he was taking a GCSE in PE. He loved football and played rugby for the school."

He added: "As soon as the children get back we will be holding a special assembly and of course we want to do as much as we can to pay tribute to John." If possible, the funeral cortege could come past the school and we will line the streets to say our farewells."

Only three weeks before John's death council bosses ordered part of a safety fence surrounding the lake be torn down.Officials say the area is public highway and forced developers David Wilson Homes to create a gap in the fence.

Residents are currently preparing to launch a legal bid to have the fence reinstated. The lake is a popular haunt for local youngsters and they often camp by the waters edge.

Lillian Norcross, who lives opposite the scene, said the isolated spot makes it popular with older youths. She said: "I heard the noise of the lads last night but I'm used to it now.

"I was worried because it was below freezing and it was very late." A few minutes later there was an ambulance outside my house. I assumed somebody had tried to jump into the water - you get a lot of horseplay there."

A firefighter who attended the incident said: "We were first on site and we are trained at water rescue. We got under the water with special thermal image cameras but it was pitch black and visibility was poor."

After two hours we vacated the area for the police diving teams who found the young lad."

St Helens Reporter