Tragic death of boy, 6, relayed to classmates in Ketton primary school
Teachers have paid tribute to a "special little boy" who drowned along with his grandmother in a pond.
Six-year-old Laurence Mullany-Mills, of Ketton, Rutland, and pensioner Dawn Jean Mullany were discovered in the icy duck pond in Holywell, Lincolnshire, by police.
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Holywell pond, in Holywell, Lincolnshire, where Laurence and his gran were discovereed
Yesterday Amanda Rogers, head of Ketton CofE Primary School, where Laurence was in Year One, said staff and pupils were devastated.
Describing Laurence, known as Laurie, as "such a special little boy" who loved life, Mrs Rogers said: "Laurie meant so much to us. It was our great privilege and pleasure to know and to teach Laurie, albeit for far too short a time."
She added: "He tackled everything with enthusiasm. He relished challenges, had a wonderful sense of humour, was chatty, sociable and had impeccable manners too.
"He loved everything about school, and would run to get here every morning. So many things made him happy and his happiness was infectious."
Pupils were told about the tragedy yesterday in special assemblies.
Bereavement councillors were on hand to help children struggling to come to terms with the death.
After dropping off their children at school yesterday, many parents went to Ketton Methodist Church to light a candle for Laurence and his grandma, and to say prayers.
It is thought the tragedy occurred after Mrs Mullany, aged 71, from Castle Bytham, and Laurence had stopped to feed the birds at the beauty spot on their 10-mile journey back to the boy's home on Thursday.
The alarm was raised at about 9.20pm on Thursday after Laurence's mother called police when they failed to arrive.
An RAF search and rescue helicopter found Mrs Mullany's black car close to the pond within an hour. Her body was pulled from the water shortly afterwards.
Laurence was discovered by divers at about 4am on Friday.
Police said yesterday that post-mortem examinations found that both Laurence and Mrs Mullany had drowned.
They said an inquest into their deaths would be opened later this week, and then adjourned to allow time for the completion of police inquires.
Police have said the circumstances surrounding the tragedy are not being treated as suspicious.
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