‘WONDERFUL SON’, 16, DIES ON CAMPING TRIP
MUM LEADS TRIBUTES TO BOY WHO WAS ON BREAK FROM GCSES WITH PALS
THE heartbroken mum of a teenager who died on a camping trip has paid tribute to her ‘wonderful and loving’ son.
Police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding Joshua Connolly-Teale’s death on Saturday morning.
The 16-year-old was in the middle of his GCSE exams and was taking a break from revision when he left his home in Rochdale on Friday night.
He told his mum Joanne he would spend the night camping with three friends and two adults in fields in the Syke area to the north of the town.
Police were called to reports of concerns for the welfare of a teenager shortly before 11.15am on Saturday May 26.
Emergency services were scrambled to a field near Dewhirst Road and discovered that Joshua had died.
Three other teenagers were all taken to hospital for treatment and have since been discharged, police say.
Joshua’s devastated mum Joanne Teale has now spoken of her heartbreak and paid tribute to her popular and much-loved son.
“He was lovely,” she said. “We are really, really proud of him and we’re really going to miss him so much.”
Joshua had been working hard and cramming for his exams.
He sat an exam on Friday morning before taking a break from his busy revision schedule to go camping with friends.
Joanne said the St Cuthbert’s RC High School pupil, who loved art and IT, was on track to get some good results and had been looking forward to studying game development at Hopwood Hall College.
A keen video gamer he enjoyed playing football with his sisters, trampolining and fishing with his dad Geoff.
He had recently celebrated the birth of his sister Becca’s little girl Madison, who he doted on. Joanne said Joshua was delighted to be an uncle and was excited to push the baby around in her pushchair.
She added: “Josh really loved her. He was really good with her and was looking forward to spending time with her. He was so pleased and proud to be an uncle.
“He was close to his brother and all his sisters, especially Lauren because they were about the same age.
“He had a lot of mates and he was really funny. We used to call him Victor Meldrew if he was being grumpy. And he would tickle me to make me jump – he was funny.
“Every night he would bump fists with his dad and he would bend down so I could kiss his head before saying goodnight.
“I will miss going and getting shopping from Morrisons for him every Saturday – he always knew exactly what he wanted. He would ring me up to make sure I was getting what he wanted – he was cheeky like that.
“I’ll say good night to him every night and I’ve still got his school blazer which I’ll keep close to my heart. I will take it everywhere. I just want him to be with us forever.”
As well as Joanne, Joshua leaves his dad Geoff, sisters Lauren, 14, Becca, 23, and Kayler, 27, and brother Kieron, 26, niece Madison and brother-in-law Ben.
He was also the grandson of Annie and Michael, Chris and the late Geoff.
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death is ongoing and a file has been passed to the coroner.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident number 805 of 26/05/18, alternatively call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.