Heartbroken family pay tribute to teenager Lachlan…

Heartbroken family pay tribute to teenager Lachlan Regan after body found near M1

The family of a teenager who died following an incident on the A52 have paid tribute to the “kind and thoughtful” boy. Police received reports that a man’s body, which has now been confirmed to be Lachlan Regan, had been found on the A52 at around 11.10pm on Saturday 3 December

The westbound side of the A52 near the M1 was closed for six hours after the force was contacted by a driver at 11.10pm on Saturday night, December 3. When officers arrived at the scene, close to the Victoria Avenue slip road leading to Borrowash, the body of a man in his late teens was found. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Derbyshire Police said.

Lachlan’s family have now released a tribute to the 19-year-old. In a statement, they said: “Our family and all his friends are truly heartbroken, Lachlan is loved by so many and in his short 19 years of life he knew so many people and touched all their hearts.

“Lachlan’s family was his world he was never too old for hugs and kisses and would give them out in the most meaningful way.

“He adored his little sister, and they had the most amazing bond, they would play fight, sing, chat and hang out together. He was never embarrassed to be seen with his mum and dad, coming on family holidays and swimming in the sea.

“When Dylan, Lachlan’s cousin, came into our home 11 years ago Lachlan thought it was great to have a constant playmate, they would play army, dinosaurs, Hot Wheels and Nerf guns, running riot around the house, it was never a dull moment. Lachlan knew from an early age that family is everything and that Dylan was not just his cousin but his true brother.

“He was a Borrowash lad through and through and he would wave and smile at everyone, take time out to help people if he knew them or not.

“He was also a grafter, the muddier the better! He would come home from a hard days work full of stories about his day, he worked hard and was driven to qualify as a brick layer and had his whole life ahead of him.

“Lachlan was the life and soul of all our lives, and would light up the room wherever he went and was always smiling with a beautiful soul. He is so unbelievably missed, loved and will always be in our hearts, and will never be forgotten.

“We cannot express the love and support from our family, friends and the community, it is truly overwhelming, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Floral tributes were left on a bridge over the A52 following Lachlan’s death, along with a large England flag. Derbyshire Police are appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident to come forward.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire Police said: "Officers, who are currently preparing a file for the coroner, are still keen to hear from anyone who was driving along the A52 between Derby and junction 25 of the M1 between 10.30pm and 11.15pm, especially those with dashcam footage."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Derbyshire police via Facebook, Twitter, the Derbyshire Police website or call 101, including reference 22*708796: You can also anonymously contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111, or by visiting the CrimeStoppers website.