THE PARENTS of a teenager who died in a park near his home have paid tribute to their "amazing" son who had a great passion for learning.

Tom Gallagher died at the age of 16, just weeks before he was expected to receive "superb" GCSE results.

His body was found by police in Old Kays Park a short distance from his home in Holcombe Road, Tottington, shortly after 8am on Saturday, July 11.

Hundreds of friends and family members attended his funeral at St Hilda’s Church and he was honoured in a memorial service organised by schoolfriends, who have raised more than £1,300 in his name.

Father Gabriel, aged 50, said: "The response from the community around us has been phenomenal.

"Everyone has been extremely supportive of us through such a difficult time.

"He was an amazing boy, so intelligent. He had this great drive to excel at everything he did, and he knew exactly where he wanted to go in life.

"He could work out anything – they would give him A-level maths papers to go through when he was bored at school and he could just fly through them."

Tom, whose 15-year-old brother Daniel goes to St Gabriel’s High School, had ambitions to study at Oxford and was due to take A-levels in maths, additional maths, German and physics at Bacup & Rawtenstall Grammar School (BRGS).

He was a black belt in karate and taekwondo, a Scout for several years, had a love of reading and enjoyed walking family dog Ollie in the park.

Mum Angela, aged 47, said: "He was inquisitive and had a natural interest in learning. We would always say he was like a sponge, and he was always after more and more information.

"When we used to walk the dog together he would always be trying to teach you German or about the origins of mathematical equations.

"He had an incredible thirst for knowledge and was very passionate about what he was studying.

"He liked to be at home and loved reading books and being on his laptop, but he would also meet his mates in Bury and go to the cinema or bowling."

Two tribute videos made by the family have been viewed hundreds of times on Youtube, while a memorial Facebook page has more than 800 likes.

Family pays tribute in moving video montage

After the success of the online fundraising page designed to pay for the memorial service, in which more than 200 balloons with individual tributes attached were released, friends are now hoping to install a commemorative bench or plaque at the school in Waterfoot.

Angela added: "To see so many people at the funeral from all aspects of Tom’s life was really lovely to see, and the response of his friends who organised the balloon release has been overwhelming."

Photo tribute to Tom Gallagher 

Alan Porteous, BRGS headteacher, said: "Tom was an exceptional student who had great intellectual curiosity and an enquiring mind; he never stopped questioning in a search for deeper levels of understanding.

"Tom was well liked within school and always willing to talk – conversations with Tom could cover a multitude of topics, following which Tom would often go and do a little 'further research'. Academically, he was very strong and had recently successfully completed his GCSEs, with high expectations of a superb set of results this summer.

"He will be sadly missed by students and staff alike from the school community. Tom’s family are in all our thoughts and prayers."

Donations can still be made to the Tom Gallagher memorial fund at crowdfunder.co.uk/tom-gallagher-memorial-service

Police say there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. An inquest is likely to be held in October.