Family devastated by boy's sudden death

The aunt of a “beautiful” nine-year-old boy, who died suddenly on his way home from a family holiday, said “nothing will ever be the same without him.”

Freddie Pritchard from Rossett, Wrexham, died unexpectedly on Saturday 14 September while returning from a trip to Tenerife.

His aunt Jessica Tomlinson has set up a fundraiser for the family which has so far reached more than £8,000.

She said: "What happened was very, very unexpected. He did not fall ill or anything like that. We have no answers and as yet we don't have a clue as to what happened.”

She paid tribute to Freddie saying: “He was the biggest character I’ll ever meet and nothing will be the same without him.

"Freddie was the kindest little boy and had so many friends.”

He loved football and played for Gresford Athletic Juniors.

His coach Matt Williams wrote on the club website: “As a coaching team, we have worked with Freddie since the age of six when he began his footballing journey with GAJFC.

“We have seen Freddie blossom as a player, teammate and a lovely person.

"Freddie was a well-loved member of the team and was developing into a good footballer with a fierce left foot, who scored lots of goals for us.”

The club and others in the area held a minute’s silence or applause to remember Freddie at their recent games.

Jessica Tomlinson added: "He learnt how to swim on his holiday, and was so proud of himself, and taught his mum how to swim too.”

She said a tree will be planted at All Saints’ School in Gresford where Freddie was a pupil.

She said there are also plans for a "buddy bench" at the school “because he wanted everyone to be kind to each other and for nobody to be alone.”

The money from the fundraiser will go towards funeral costs as well as Cheshire Ambulance Service, the Countess of Chester Hospital and Alder Hey Hospital’s Snowdrop suite.