Skip to main content
On Air Now
Listen Now

7am to 10am

Listen Now

6am to 10am

'Cheeky and gorgeous' boy, 13, who drowned in lake after 'paddling with friends' named locally

A Crowdfunder has been launched to cover the costs of the funeral for his family

Share

Hayden Jones-Powell was named locally by friends.
Hayden Jones-Powell was named locally by friends. Picture: Crowdfunder

By Alex Storey

A teenage boy who died after "paddling with friends" in a lake during the UK heatwave has been named locally as Hayden Jones-Powell and described as "cheeky, gorgeous" and a "great friend".

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The 13-year-old's body was found in Meynell Lake in Leicestershire, on Friday, a day after he is believed to have gone missing when he went "paddling with his friends".

The schoolboy has been named online in a fundraiser set up by heartbroken friends hoping to raise money for Hayden's family to cover the costs of his funeral.

The Crowdfunder reads: "The aim of this is to raise funds for Hayden's funeral. As a family we would like to be able to give Hayden a beautiful send off.

Read more: LIVE: June heat record broken again as temperature reaches 36.9C

Read more: Paris bans alcohol, brawls erupt over air conditioning units and zoo animals fed ice pops as heatwave sweeps Europe

Tributes have been left at the scene.
Tributes have been left at the scene. Picture: LBC

"Hayden was a cheeky, gorgeous, 13-year-old boy. He supported West Brom Albion, loved animals, was a great friend & had everything in life going for him.

"Without warning he was taken from us on the 25th of June. Hayden was like any other teenage boy who just went to the lake to paddle with his friends.

"He wanted to cool from the heat & enjoy the cool water; getting some respite from the heatwave after school. 

Rescue teams have been searching for the boy since Thursday.
Rescue teams have been searching for the boy since Thursday. Picture: Global

"Tragically, Hayden got into trouble and he never made it home to his loving family consisting of a dad, 2 older brothers, an older sister and his mum."

The page, which hopes to raise £6,000, added: "Hayden was such a beautiful, loving soul & we would like to be able to give him a send off befitting for him.

"We know nothing will bring Hayden back to us but knowing we have said goodbye in the best way we can will start the difficult process of healing our broken hearts."

Police were called just after 1.30pm to the lake where specialist dive teams recovered a body from the water.

Tributes at the scene.
Tributes at the scene. Picture: LBC

Leicestershire Police confirmed on Friday that the body was that of the teenager known to have entered the lake.

There is no suggestion of any suspicious circumstances and a file will be prepared for a coroner, the force added.

Thursday provisionally became the UK’s hottest June day on record, with 36.7C recorded in Merryfield, Somerset.

A spokesperson from Leicestershire Police said: "There is no suggestion of any suspicious circumstances and a file will be prepared for HM Coroner."