Hayden Jones-Powell, a 13-year-old boy described as a 'cheeky boy' and an avid West Bromwich Albion supporter, died after entering Meynell Lake in Leicestershire to cool off during a heatwave. The incident occurred on Thursday, June 25, when Hayden went missing after swimming in the lake.
Family Tribute
In a heartfelt tribute, Hayden's family remembered him as a 'really lovely little cheeky boy.' His aunt, Charlotte Powell, told LeicestershireLive: 'He was a really lovely little cheeky boy.' She added that he had many friends and excelled at school.
Charlotte, who has set up a fundraising page for his funeral, said: 'Hayden was like any other teenage boy who went to the lake to paddle with his friends. He wanted to cool off from the heat and enjoy the cool water, getting some respite from the heatwave after school.'
Emergency Response
Police were called to the lake just after 1:30 PM on Thursday, with Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service and East Midlands Ambulance Service also in attendance. Specialist dive teams conducted a search and recovered Hayden's body.
Charlotte described the ordeal as 'horrific, absolutely horrific.' She recounted: 'My husband rang me yesterday to say, 'are you sitting down? Hayden's gone missing'. It's the thing that happens to other people, doesn't it? It doesn't happen to your family.'
Community Support
Charlotte expressed gratitude for the community's support following Hayden's death. 'The family are so grateful for all the support, really, really grateful,' she said. 'We know that in times like this, there's so little people can do, but if anybody can just give a fiver to our fund, just to give us the best send-off for Hayden we can possibly do.'
Police confirmed that the person recovered from the lake was the same teenager known to have entered the water. Specialist officers are supporting his family. Officers stated there was no suggestion of suspicious circumstances, and a file will be prepared for the coroner.
Memorial Plans
Friends of Hayden are organizing two balloon releases in his memory. The first is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, at 12:30 PM at Central Park in Syston, with a second planned for Saturday, July 4, in Mountsorrel. The fundraising page has a target of £6,000 to cover funeral costs.
