David Ejimofor: Hundreds attend funeral of teenager who died at Aberavon beach
Hundreds of people have gathered to pay their respects at the funeral of "ray of sunshine" teenager David Ejimofor.
The 15-year-old died after getting into difficulty in the water at Aberavon beach, Port Talbot, on 19 June.
Family and friends wore white in tribute to the teenager, whose mother Maria Ejimofor described him as a "kind, intelligent, polite and caring person".
A white horse-drawn carriage carried David's name as it processed along the streets of Port Talbot, while crowds gathered outside St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church ahead of the service.
The teenager had a passion for sport and had dreams of one day becoming a bodybuilder, according to his family and friends.
Shane Andrews, a friend and trainer at David's gym, told ITV Wales: "He'd come in and everyone in there would look up to him as a role model, because that's what he was to a lot of people, even at such a young age."Joseph Anderson, who also trained with David, said: "I'd want everyone to know David as a very talented young man, a person who had a lot of potential to go far."
'We don't want David to be another statistic'
David's family are campaigning for more safety measures on Aberavon beach following his death.
A petition, which has been signed by over 50,000 people, is calling for improved safeguarding at the beach, such as the installation of barriers, more signage and warnings for people who want to get into the water.
David's father, Alex Ejimofor, had told ITV Wales: "We don't want any other child, anybody to go through what David went through.
"We want there to be safeguarding measures - anything anyone can do to make sure that place is safe."
Neath Port Talbot Council has previously told ITV News that it will "make sure" that the petitions "receive attention within the multi-agency group that is co-ordinating the response to this very sad incident".
It is also reassuring residents and visitors that safety is of "paramount importance" and "a range of emergency services currently operate at the beach and are dedicated to ensuring the safety of all those who use it".
An Associated British Ports spokesperson also previously said their "sympathy and thoughts are with David’s family and friends and all who knew him."
It committed to "provide appropriate assistance as required to the relevant authorities to support their inquiries into the incident," as well as "work with local stakeholders and partners regarding safeguarding at Aberavon beach.”
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