'Devastated' aunt pays tribute to 'loving, sweet' Valentine

THE aunt of a teenager who died after in a park lake has paid tribute to the “loving” boy.

- By RUCSANDRA MOLDOVEANU

Valentine Ikechukwu died on April 30 after he got into difficulty while swimming at Colwick Country Park’s West Lake.

The 16-year-old, who was studying computer science at Nottingham College, went to the park with friends after school.

He had tried finding a place at a college in Manchester after recently moving there with his family from Derby.

He was unsuccessful, however, and, as he didn’t want to take a gap year, he was encouraged by his family to continue his studies in Nottingham, regularly commuting from Manchester.

Valentine's aunt, Uche Okafor, 30, said: “It was hot that day. That's probably why they went there.

“He told us on video call that afternoon that he was hot so his mum told him to take off his jacket.

“He never mentioned anything about going to the lake. We would have stopped it.

“We were much surprised when we got the phone call to say he was found there [at the lake].”