Shocked school plans memorial service

Head teacher Jonathan Oddy says the schoolboy's death is baffling

A school memorial service is planned for a teenager from Essex who died after collapsing in a physical education lesson.

The 14-year-old, who has not yet been named, was a pupil at the Barstable School, Basildon.

He had been warming up for the lesson when he collapsed on Tuesday.

Headmaster Jonathan Oddy said on Wednesday the tragedy had left everyone at the school in a state of shock.

"Fourteen-year-old boys shouldn't just run along and drop dead, and that's apparently what has happened on this particular day.

'Normal day'

"There appears to be no rhyme or reason behind this. The lad was perfectly all right according to his friends on the morning.

"According to his mum, he was fine. He got up had his breakfast, left for school as a normal day. And that's all we know."

School friends lay flowers on the playing field on Wednesday.

Messages in the book of condolence reflect how much the youngster will be missed and how hard the school has been hit by his death.

The memorial service is planned for Tuesday 23 September.

The school is making a collection to pay for his headstone.

The results of a post-mortem examination are expected to be released on Thursday.