General Chat

whoever he is may he rest in peace. Feel so much pain for his parents.X so very very sad XX.

He is at rest now - I am sure his family gave him the best sendoff altho his mum told me his dad was being awkward and said she had to pay for it all. They were no longer a couple before the tragedy. How can people argue about such a thing? He had apparently also tried to blame her as he said if Gary hadn't moved out from home to live with friends, he wouldn't have been going home that way. How cruel, so ok the family was a bit divided but it didn't make this dreadful accident happen, he would have probably still walked the same way home.
Lizx

So so tragic.

God rest his soul.

Thoughts, prayers and condolences to Gary's family.

Ann
Glos

Deepest Sympathy to Gary's family.

May he Rest in Peace.

Tina x

Thoughts and Prayers to Gary's family.
xxxxxxxx

Condolences to Gary's family

RIP Gary

Linda x

deepest sympathy to Garys famly
and friends
r.i.p Gary
Dutchxx

Today is the day of Gary's funeral, at 3pm.

I spoke to Gary's Mum last week and she has asked me to contact her again next week to see if there is anything further we can do to make things safer by the river.
Personally, I feel it would be better to try and get the youngsters to realise the dangers of being out and about late at night, drunk and alone, by the river, and also to try and push for more cctv cameras there. Maybe if we can get the local college or Gary's old school, coincidentally the one Paul worked at for a while, to help make a video or something that could be sent round all schools and youth clubs, it might help.
The family are asking for flowers or donations to the YMCA or the SOS bus, an innovative scheme started in Norwich where some nights a week, usually Fridays and Saturdays, there is a special bus with firstaiders and other volunteers there, to help any people in trouble on the streets at night. It is well known where the bus is parked so that people can get to the bus for help of all kinds. Other towns and cities are copying the idea. It is funded by charities and donations from all sorts of people and places.
Lizx

I don't suppose they will ever really know, there may be more information to come later. It could have been that Gary got involved with a gang of others who tried to steal money or his phone, or he could have just gone too close to the edge, who knows? The divers were searching further up that stretch of river a few days ago, and then his body was found further along the river, there is a current in that part. I hope his end was quick, that he didn't realise what had happened and so was not frightened. I know when Paul B. died, he was trying to swim towards the people on the bank, but the river level was unusually high that night and it was so cold, he didn't stand a chance despite being a strong swimmer. His sister said the first thing she asked the police was, Were his flies undone? as it would have explained if he had gone to use the river as a loo,but no one noticed as his clothes had been cut off him to help with trying to resuscitate him etc.

At least now Gary's family can begin to mourn him but oh, what a loss and another family devastated by a moment in time.

Lizx

I think I remember hearing this in the news Liz.

I hope this will bring some closure to his family & friends.

RIP Gary.

Shirley-ann .

My sincere condolences to the family of Gary. Prayers and thoughts for them

RIP Gary.

Tina x

Thoughts and prayers for the family.
RIP Gary
Mary xx

Oh Liz, how sad for the family. As you say why is it always the good ones? Do they have any idea what happened, could he have slipped on his own or was he maybe pushed? I don't suppose they will ever know. My thoughts are for the family.

ann
Glos

Sad to say that the body found was confirmed as young Gary's.

He was a much loved son, in work, popular with friends, why him?

Why not one of those of the ilk of the people who beat Garry Newlove to death, how come those sort of morons sail through life?

No justice in this world.
Rest in Peace, young Gary and Garry Newlove too.

Lizx

Thanks Lynda, I got very angry about it all. I know if it hadn't been too prohibitively expensive the family would have sued the council for corporate negligence or whatever it is called. Not for the money, for the principle and the lesson to be learned. The Council commissioned a Rospa report and paid for it then ignored most of what was advised. Ludicrous!
If Bill Armstrong is the Coroner in charge of this latest lad's inquest, I am sure he will have plenty to say about the loss of another young life. He did something he has never done before,appparently, when, after Paul's inquest, he got the Clerk of the Court to fetch me in to speak to him about the safety campaign.
There is an SOS boat to help with river rescues and it is paid for by charity donations and Paul's family sent £800 from collections made at his funeral, towards the costs of keeping it on the river. It was mainly Fridays and Saturdays tho and would you believe it, vandals damaged it where it was moored up, so they had to keep it further from the city, defeating the object really. I think it is back in the city now, but they can only help if an accident is reported or noticed on any cctv cameras and the river winds its way through many routes out of the clubbing area so not every where has cctv or has other people walking about at the same time. Also if householders hear shouts or screams, it is often ignored because of the many noisy revellers going past at all hours, shouting unnecessarily.
The walk along the river is lovely in nice weather and daylight, but can be a cold, dark, menacing, lonely place late at night.
Lizx

Always so sad when you hear of a young life being lost.
I think it said on local teletext they would be identifying tomorrow (Monday) Liz.
My heart goes out to the family of the young man.
And well done to you Liz on the campaign to improve safety measures around that area.
I remember reading about it all in the newspapers.

xx

It never ceases to amaze me that councils think it's ok to have pubs/clubs right by the water. I'm surprised there haven't been any fatalities since they opened our floating nightclub. There are sufficient barriers but people do lose their sense of danger when drunk and also balance and judgement can be so impaired.

My best friend from school lost her fiance after he took a dare to swim out to the little island on the reservoir near our home (next door to a pub). Such a pointless loss.

Two tragic loses highlighted (and possibly many more), even if the body isn't that of the missing young man, it's still someone who has become another victim of the river. It must be so hard not to know what happened. I admire you for your campaigning, Liz. Obviously the measures installed still aren't adequate. So tragic.

Ros, it is awful, isn't it? Such a waste of a life, all for a couple of bottles of booze or a pint too many.
Lizx

There have been a couple of drownings like this in River Clyde in Glasgow --so , so sad for the families,
Ros xx