British teenager found dead in Greek resort

Robert de,Press Association
Thursday 13 August 2009 07:05 BST
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A British teenager has been found dead in a Greek holiday resort, the Foreign Office said today.

The body of 17-year-old Andre Young from Saffron Walden, Essex, was found yesterday morning in Malia, Crete.

His parents have flown to the holiday island to identify their son, who was found with serious head injuries after a night out.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm that a body has been discovered and positively identified by the Greek authorities as that of a 17-year-old British national who was reported missing in Crete on the 11th of August.

"The family has been informed and is being provided with consular assistance."

Andre's grandmother, who answered the phone at the family home in Essex, was too upset to comment.

Holidaymaker Bethany Billings, 21, who saw the teenager before he went missing said he had been drinking with friends.

She told the Daily Mirror: "He was proper drunk. He knew he'd had enough and wanted to go home."

She said she last saw him staggering up the street, and added: "He must have tripped and hit his head."

A spokesman for the police in Crete said they were not treating the death as suspicious.

More than 200 people have joined a group set up in tribute to the teenager on the social networking site Facebook.

One friend, Rhiannon Parry wrote "Shocked, really really shocked!! Rest in Peace buddy x"

Another, Jay Pledger from Saffron Walden County High School, wrote: "You will be forever remembered. Maths classes were no good without you mate. R.I.P. x x".

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