Friends of tragic Dan raise £30k to bring him back home

TEENAGE FOOTBALLER DIED ON TRIP TO HOLLAND WITH PALS

Reporter GRIEVING friends of a young footballer who died on holiday have raised almost £30,000 to bring his body home.

Daniel Sirrell was away with five friends in Amsterdam at the weekend when he is understood to have drowned.

Fearing that the 20-year-old from Peterlee was not covered by insurance, his pals have started raising money to fund the repatriation of his body.

Just days after Daniel’s death, more than £7,000 has been raised on one JustGiving page, reaching almost half of the £15,000 target.

A second crowd-funding drive has seen more than £20,000 donated by 720 supporters.

The page set up by friend Connor Elders asks for donations to “bring Daniel home to his mam Karen, his dad Jeff, his two brothers Adam and Jonathan along with his girlfriend Sam”.

Daniel, a popular player for South Shields-based Harton and Westoe FC, was reported to have fallen into the Kloveniersburgwal in the Dutch capital on Sunday.

Netherlands news website AT5 reported that divers from the fire brigade managed to bring Daniel out of the canal but he had already been under the water for five minutes and later died in hospital in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Harton and Westoe club chairman Mal Cooper said: “We have a feeling the trip was organised without insurance so there will be significant costs concerned, I would think.

“The last thing the family needs is to worry about money. They have enough to deal with. There are currently two funding pages set up to try and assist with the costs of any medical bills incurred as well as repatriating him and funeral costs.”

Daniel, from Peterlee, started playing for Harton and Westoe around 18 months ago and was named young player of the season last year.

The young footballer had studied at East Durham College in Peterlee and was described by the college as “an excellent student and a wonderful person”.

A spokesperson for the college said: “The college has been deeply saddened by the news of the death of former student Dan Sirrell, who tragically lost his life last weekend. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

“Dan began his studies with us on a BTEC in Sports Development, Coaching and Fitness before progressing on to our Foundation Degree in Sports Coaching from which he graduated from last summer. “He was an excellent student and a wonderful person.”

Mal added: “He was a lovely lad inside and out, everyone associated with our football club loved him. Many are still struggling to come to terms with his tragic accident.

“He was unbelievable. He was just such a lovely, lovely young man.

“It’s a close-knit group of lads and everybody gets on really well.” Mal Cooper