Gloucester teenager dies in fatal speedboat incident

Hundreds of mourners have said their final goodbyes to a teenager from Gloucester who died in a speed boat accident.

Emily Gardner was with friends on a boat in Brixham in Devon earlier this month. She was killed when her life jacket became caught when the boat overturned.

Her funeral was held at Gloucester Cathedral earlier today.

Briohny Williams reports

Almost two hundred mourners were at Gloucester Cathedral today for the funeral of a teenager who in died in a speedboat crash in Devon.

14-year-old Emily Gardner was killed when the boat she was in capsized in Brixham harbour on Saturday May 2nd.

A police investigation found Emily's life jacket became caught when she was thrown overboard in Brixham harbour.

Many of Emily's friends from Chosen Hill School in Gloucester attended the service, and donations were made to a memorial fund in her name.

Family members release doves outside the church to honour the "happy, smiley, bubbly, lively" teenager.

The teenager from Gloucester killed in a speedboat accident in Devon has been described as "popular, happy, friendly" in a moving tribute from her school.

14-year-old Emily Gardner attended Chosen Hill School in Churchdown. She was killed when the boat she was in capsized in Brixham harbour on Saturday. Police say her life jacket became caught when the boat overturned.

Police investigating the death of a 14 year old girl from Gloucester in a speedboat accident say the boat was overturned by a wave.

Devon and Cornwall Police say that Emily Gardner's life jacket became caught when she was thrown overboard in Brixham harbour. Enquiries into Emily's death are ongoing.

Emily Gardner's family have paid this tribute to her:

“Our beautiful Emily was a caring loving, gentle daughter and sister. She was full of life and had the world ahead of her. She was our diamond, now shining bright in the sky.

"She will be missed and forever in our hearts."

Police have named the teenage girl who died following a fatal speedboat incident in Brixham, Devon, on Saturday as 14 year old Emily Gardner from Gloucester.

Devon and Cornwall Police say Emily was trapped underneath a small speedboat, after it overturned, with three other people on board, just outside Brixham Harbour.

In a statement police say: "Officers were alerted about the incident by the Coastguard at 12.11pm. Lifeboat crews from Brixham attended and released Emily before taking her to shore.

Emily was taken to Torbay Hospital by ambulance in a critical condition but was pronounced dead a short time later. Her family have been informed and formal ID has taken place.

A 50-year-old man and two 15-year-old girls, also from the Gloucester area, who were on board the boat before it capsized, were taken to shore by jet skis before lifeboat crews arrived. They were taken to hospital by ambulance with minor injuries and have since been discharged.

Two men, aged 18 and 50, from the Worcester area, who were travelling on the jet skis and assisted with the rescue before emergency services arrived, were also taken to hospital for checks but were later discharged.

The group were on holiday in Devon at the time of the incident, and Emily was with a friend’s family.

The 16ft speedboat, which was believed to be privately owned, has been recovered and taken to police premises for examination. The jet skis have also been taken away for examination.

Police and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch are investigating the cause of incident."

A teenager girl who died after becoming trapped when a speedboat overturned in Brixham, Devon has been named locally as Emily Gardner from Gloucester.

Friends and family members are using social media sites to pay tribute to the "beautiful" 14-year-old who is thought to have died while on holiday in the seaside town.

Emily is said to have been with her pals, also named locally, as Holly Pritchard and Gemma Gadsden, who were hospitalised following the accident.

The trio were also with one of their father's, not thought to have been Emily's father.

It is thought Emily lived in Gloucester with her family and attended Chosen Hill School, in Churchdown, Gloucester.

Sharon Ashley took to Facebook to write: "My beautiful beautiful niece love you so much sleep tight xxxxx."

Her uncle, Nick Taylor, added: "Good night my amazing beautiful niece x shine bright like a diamond x."

Emergency services were called at 11.44am on Saturday amid reports that a vessel carrying a father, his daughter and two school friends had capsized in Brixham.

The rescue operation saw lifeboats, coastguard teams and a helicopter deployed as well as specialist divers.

Mark Criddle, coxswain of Torbay's RNLI lifeboat, said crews arrived on scene and found a 16ft speedboat upside down with a girl trapped in it.

He added: "We located the girl and brought her on board the lifeboat where she was immediately given first aid by a doctor and paramedic who were members of the lifeboat crew.

"We took the girl back to shore where she was handed into the care of paramedics who took her to hospital.

"The three other people who had been aboard the overturned speedboat were also taken to hospital after being treated at the lifeboat station."

The deceased's identity has not been revealed, although officials confirmed her next of kin had been informed.

Police confirmed inquiries into the tragedy were ongoing and appealed for witnesses to get in touch on 101 quoting 326 02/05/2015.