Minute’s silence at jetty for sea tragedy boy

Dylan Cecil, from Kettering, wanted to get a closer look at the sea but slipped off the jetty and into the water at Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, a week ago.

Yesterday, members of the community joined the youngster’s parents, Rachel McCollum and Darren Cecil, and his two younger sisters, aged one and three, on the jetty for a one-minute silence in memory of Dylan.

A service was held for the youngster and those involved in the rescue effort at St Andrew’s Church in the town later yesterday.

Bears, flowers and football shirts have been left by well-wishers following the death last Sunday.

The family had been visiting grandparents in the town when the tragedy occurred.

Dylan’s parents desperately tried to rescue him, but were unable to reach him and had to be pulled from the water by passers-by.

A rescue attempt was launched immediately involving Coastguard, lifeboats and police but the search was called off when they failed to recover his body.

A member of the public discovered his body on nearby mudflats four days later.

The Rev Graham Witts invited members of the public to attend last night’s memorial service, which he said would pay tribute to Dylan, a Kettering Town FC fan, and his “little life”.

Members of the Burnham-On-Sea Area Rescue Boat and RNLI who were involved in the rescue effort were expected to attend the service, along with the youngster’s parents.

A funeral service will be held at a later date in the boy’s home town of Kettering.

Speaking ahead of the memorial service, |Mr Witts said: “The service is an opportunity for the family and Burnham-on-Sea community to get together and recognise all that has taken place in the last week.

“I hope the service will be helpful for the family and for the community in helping them to come
to terms with what has happened.”

An inquest into Dylan’s death is to be opened in Taunton tomorrow.