Tributes pour in for ‘kind’ teenager who drowned in Salford Quays during heatwave

The teenager who drowned while cooling off in Salford Quays over the weekend has been named.

Kalan Waugh, sixteen, drowned after getting into difficulty in the water on Saturday afternoon. He went for a swim in the former dock area to cool off as temperatures soared.

Greater Manchester Police located Kalan’s body on Saturday evening following a major search operation.

The teenager had just finished his GCSEs at New Park School in Salford, and was due to start at Salford College in September on the Multi-Trade course.

Describing Kalan as a ‘cheeky chappy’, the school said in a statement: “[Kalan] certainly kept staff on their toes… but not for very long, you just couldn’t stay angry with him for too long.

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“[His] Mum had been so proud that he had sat his GCSE exams and had been offered a place at Salford College from September.

“He was a clever lad who would have done fantastically well. We will miss him and our thoughts and prayers are with Mum and Uncle.”

In a statement on Sunday, GMP said: “The body of a teenage boy has been recovered from Salford Quays after we were called to reports of a person getting into difficulty in the water.

“Shortly after 6.15pm police were called and emergency service colleagues from GMFRS and NWAS attended.

“Sadly, a body was located in the water later that evening and was recovered by specialist partners overnight.

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“His family has been kept updated and are being supported by specially-trained officers at this extremely distressing time.

“Enquiries are ongoing but detectives from Swinton CID are – at this stage – confident that there aren’t any suspicious circumstances, and a file is being prepared for the coroner.”

Conrad Asquith, who owns Swans Minicabs taxi firm where Kalan’s mum works, has set up a Just Giving fundraiser to raise money for the teenager’s funeral.

Asquith said: “He was a lovely young man with his future ahead of him. Kalen’s life was tragically cut short in an awful accident in Salford… he was sixteen years old with his whole life ahead of him.”

At the time of writing, the fundraiser has surpassed its £2,000 goal with a total of £2,611. To read more about the cause and to donate, click here.