A 15-year-old boy who drowned after getting into difficulty swimming in a lake had been celebrating the start of the Easter holidays with friends.
Emergency crews were called to Beckenham Place Park in south east London shortly after 3pm on Friday to search for a teenager who had been swimming in a lake.
Later that night, crews found the body of a boy in the water at 10.42pm. He was taken to hospital but unfortunately pronounced dead.
It is understood that the teenager had been out celebrating the start of the Easter holidays on Friday evening when he got into difficulty swimming, with fears that he may have gone into cold water shock.
‘The lake is dangerous – it’s so cold,’ one local dog walker told The Sun newspaper.
Dozens of teenagers have visited the south London park over the past couple of days to pay respects to the teenager, who is yet to be named.
‘Forever 15. Gone but never forgotten,’ one note read.
‘You will be missed,’ read another.
The boy’s tragic death is being treated as unexpected but not suspicious.
Police officers stand in the entrance to Beckenham Place Park in South East London after a 16-year-old boy got into difficulty in water
The scene inside Beckenham Park Place on Friday after a 16-year-old boy went missing while swimming in a lake
A police tent is set near the swimming lake in Beckenham on Friday following the teenager’s disappearance
Dozens of teenagers have visited the south London park over the past couple of days to pay respects to the teenager
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said on Friday evening: ‘Met Police has suspended a search for a 15-year-old boy at Beckenham Place Park, following the discovery of a body.
‘Officers were called to the park shortly after 15:00hrs on Friday, 4 April following reports of a boy going missing after getting into difficulty in the water.
‘Specialist diving teams were in attendance alongside the London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade.
‘A boy was recovered from the lake at around 22:42hrs on Friday, 4 April. He was taken to hospital where he was sadly pronounced dead. His death is being treated as unexpected but not believed to be suspicious.
‘His family are aware and continue to receive support.’
The popular south London park was closed on Friday as emergency services responded to the incident.
Lewisham Council posted on X at 5.20pm: ‘We are aware of a serious incident at Beckenham Place Park.
‘Council staff are supporting the Police on site. The park is currently closed.’
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said on Friday: ‘We were called at 3.02pm this afternoon to reports of a person in the water.
‘We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an incident response officer and members of our hazardous area response team.’
