Parents pay their tribute to son in Llanrwst bike fall tragedy

Aug 7 2008 by Staff Reporter, North Wales Weekly News

THE parents of a 10-year-old boy who died after he fell of his bike near Llanrwst paid tribute to their son last week.

Lee Thompson-Walker was found with serious head and chest injuries following the accident on July 28, and died the following day in hospital at Alder Hey in Liverpool.

Lee’s parents Liz Thompson and Allan Walker, together with his sister Lisa and brother Ben, his stepmother Kelly Walker, stepfather Gareth Cunningham and stepsister Holly Cunningham, issued a statement last week, along with Lisa’s partner Peter Gibbins.

“Lee was an energetic boy loved by everyone. He had lots of friends and they were always out playing in the street.

“It was chaos and madness when he was in the house because he never shut up and he never kept still. He was always singing Westlife and Boyzone songs and would do silly dances with his sister. You couldn’t even tell him off because he would just crack you up. He was so witty and intelligent – he was one hell of a character who always made us laugh.

“He had a vivid imagination – on one occasion he managed to get hold of a razor and shaved a piece of his hair. He then told us the dog had done it.

“He was football crazy and a Liverpool supporter. He played football for Llanrwst United and in his position as goalkeeper for the under-10s team last season he was awarded the trophy for the most improved player of the year. In a game in his first season with the team’s biggest rivals Lee was honoured with the ‘man of the match’ title when they won.

“Lee, who was a pupil at Ysgol Bro Gwydir in Llanrwst and regularly attended the Rwsters Club in the town, towered above all his friends.

“He was a dirt magnet, he just loved mud. He was the life and soul of everything who could turn the charm on whenever he needed to.

“After learning to swim in a week whilst on holiday in Greece he would spend hours in the local pool, and on the day of the incident had been swimming and fishing with his mother and two closest friends in the river.”

In January Lee had been best man at his father’s wedding. “He knew the day meant a lot and he was amazing, we couldn’t have asked any more of him,” said Allan.

steve.stratford