A schoolgirl who died after getting into difficulty in water after a village's annual family fun day was ‘beautiful’, ‘bubbly and ‘polite', her heartbroken family have said. The body of Abbie Walton, 15, was found in the water a number of hours after rescue teams began their search the River Etherow, in Broadbottom, Greater Manchester.
She was pronounced dead at the scene on Wednesday, June 14, hours after villagers had taken part in an annual duck race event, which was followed by a barbecue. Speaking for the first time since her death, her family said she was looking forward to her school prom.
Her eldest sister Kylie said: “Abbie was always smiling and rarely upset. She’d get so excited to see us and come bouncing through the door to give me and my sons a massive cuddle. She was very close with our family, especially our mum.
