The family of a young teacher from Leeds who drowned in the River Aire have penned an emotional tribute and said "our lives will never be the same without him".
West Yorkshire Police confirmed that a man died on Saturday, May 30 after going swimming in the river near Redcote Lane in Kirkstall. His friends called 999 after he disappeared beneath the surface at around 8.30pm.
Officers have now confirmed that the body pulled from the River Aire in the early hours of Sunday morning was that of Lewis Howlett, a 25-year-old teacher at The Farnley Academy.
He has been described as "a rising star".
'Our lives will never be the same without him'
In a short statement released today (Monday), his family said: "We are devastated by the sudden loss of our son Lewis.
"He was loved by all who knew him and our lives will never be the same without him.
"The family now ask for privacy so we can grieve."
Lewis was in his third year teaching at The Farnley Academy and his fellow staff members have described his "unique ability" to engage students in reading.
Chris Stokes, principal of The Farnley Academy, said: “At just 25 years old, Lewis was an absolute rising star. He was in his third year with us at The Farnley Academy and was known and respected by all.
“Lewis’ ability to teach English was just astonishing. Having personally witnessed him teach on a number of occasions he sought every opportunity to bring the subject to life.
'Lewis would have gone on to achieve great things'
“Lewis promoted literacy and a love of reading to all and had a unique ability to engage even the most disengaged reader. Such was the quality of Lewis’ teaching, after just 12 months working in the academy, Lewis took on his first management responsibility as a ‘Teaching & Learning Leader’.
“Coupled with this, Lewis volunteered to lead the school in our efforts to promote Oracy through our Trust wide Voice21 programme.
“Whilst standing in Lewis’ classroom this morning, admiring his wall of thank you cards from students, it is so abundantly clear that Lewis had so much more to give and had he had the opportunity would have gone on to achieve great things for our school and the wider teaching profession.
“Our community is absolutely devastated by his untimely death.”
Police and fire crews have issued a stark warning to people about the dangers of swimming in open water after Lewis' death. A 12-year-old girl was rescued at the weekend after getting into difficulty while swimming in Ardsley Reservoir.
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s District Commander for Leeds, Andy Farrell, said: “We are very saddened to hear about this tragic loss of life and we extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Lewis Howlett.
“With the recent good weather it’s tempting to go for a swim in rivers, lakes or reservoirs but you can quickly get into trouble with devastating consequences.
“We urge people to be extremely vigilant around open water. Even if you consider yourself to be a strong swimmer, you can suddenly get out of your depth or be taken unawares by hidden undercurrents or cold water shock.”
Cllr Debra Coupar, Leeds City Council’s executive member for communities, said: “It is heart-breaking to hear that a man has died in these circumstances and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this incredibly sad time.
“We understand that it can be tempting to go for a swim on a summer’s day, however, swimming in open water brings many unnecessary risks. We urge people to think twice about entering unsafe waters.”
