Boy who died in PE lesson named

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

A boy who collapsed and died at his Essex school has been named.

Jake Howard-Shelvey, who was 14, collapsed at the Barstable School in Basildon on Tuesday.

He had been warming up for a physical education lesson.

A school memorial service will be held for Jake next week.

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 laid 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 and the school is making a collection to pay for a headstone for Jake's grave.

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