Daniel Spargo-Mabbs classmates lined the pavement outside his school to pay their respects as his funeral cortege went past this morning.

The 16-year-old died in hospital on January 20, after slipping into a coma after taking MDMA at a warehouse rave in Hayes, west London, in the early hours of January 18.

He was a popular student at Archbishop Tenison's School, Selborne Road, Croydon.

Your Local Guardian: Classmates paying their respects to Daniel Spargo-Mabbs

And in a statement his family said: “Daniel was the loveliest boy.

“It is impossible to sum up such an amazing and rich character in just a few words.

"Dan was a real individual: funny, passionate, caring, considerate, courageous and outrageous, committed, strong, charming, chatty, witty, quirky, articulate, intelligent, loving, kind, trustworthy, loyal, practical, adventurous, mischievous, cheeky, warm, energetic, silly, political, interesting and interested, humble.

"Emerging as he was as an adult, it was very exciting to see the potential he was displaying for the person we knew he could have become.

"He engaged everyone he met, and those of us who lived with him have had our lives enriched by his presence in them.”

His family and friends have gathered at Emmanuel Church, Normanton Road, South Croydon, for a thanksgiving service and private burial service which is being led by Reverend Bridget Shepherd.

She said: "Over the last few weeks our thoughts and prayers have been with the Spargo-Mabbs family following the death of their son Daniel.

"As we host a service to remember Dan today, we share their sadness, and join with them to express our grief at his death, and our gratitude for the gift of his life.

“Dan's family, friends and school will remain in our prayers in the coming weeks and months.

"We look forward to supporting the work of the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs foundation, and hope that it will make a difference to the lives of many young people and their families."

Your Local Guardian: Daniel Spargo-Mabbs was a very popular pupil at Archbishop Tenison's School

Your Local Guardian: Daniel Spargo Mabbs died in hospital on January 20 after taking MDMA at a rave


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