Tributes paid to teenager who died after getting into difficulty in canal over Easter weekend

Tributes have been paid to a teenager who died after getting into difficulties in a canal on Saturday (April 8). The teenager, named locally as George Lund, was pronounced dead by medics at the scene after being pulled from Aire and Calder Navigation Canal in Leeds.

After emergency services were called to the canal, specialist dive teams carried out a frantic search in the Hunslet area of the city, and the boy was pulled from the water. Despite receiving medical attention at the scene, the 14 year-old was tragically pronounced dead a short time later, police said.

Flowers, cards and a teddy bear have today (Monday) been left at the scene, close to a rowing club and the city of Leeds sea cadets.One heartbreaking card read: "George Thomas Robert Lee Lund, I am so lost without you, my heart is broken, I love you all around the world and back again. ‘Til we meet again. RIP.”

One well wisher wrote: "He was only 14, found his first love and everything. He had his life ahead of him. Gone too soon." Another wrote: "Gone too soon. You were far too young and such a lovely young man. I hope you’re at peace wherever you are watching over your family." A third added: "Wonderful and very polite lad, will be sadly missed. RIP young man. Much love to his family and girlfriend at this sad time."

Police said they were called just after 4.30pm on Saturday afternoon. The teenager was believed to have been swimming with friends before he disappeared from view.

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "At 4.32pm on Saturday, police received a concern for safety report for a male in the canal by Thwaite Lane, Leeds. Emergency services attended and recovered a teenage male from the water.

"He received medical attention at the scene, but was sadly pronounced deceased a short time later. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file has been prepared for the coroner."