TRIBUTES have been paid to a 16-year-old boy, who was found dead in a park in Tottington on Saturday morning.

Thomas Gallagher was discovered by police shortly after 8am, after officers had been called to Old Kays Park, off Turton Road, a short distance from his home.

Police say there are no suspicious circumstances and the matter has now been referred to the coroner’s office.

A decision has yet to be made on whether an inquest will be held.

Thomas, a pupil at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School (BRGS), will be remembered in a memorial service in Rawtenstall on July 25 where schoolfriends plan to release balloons in honour of the ‘intelligent and likeable’ Oxford University hopeful.

Alan Porteous, BRGS headteacher, said: "It is with great sorrow that we mourn the loss of one of our year 11 students, Tom Gallagher. 

"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.

"Tom was planning to return to Bacup & Rawtenstall Grammar School in September to study A levels in mathematics, further mathematics, German and physics.  In the longer term he was hoping to continue to study these subjects at Oxford.

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