A MUCH-LOVED teenager received an incredible tribute at a remembrance day held one year on from the day he drowned at sea.
Ben Quartermaine, 15, lost his life after getting into difficulty in the waters off Clacton Pier on July 26 last year.
Charity Essex Hands decided to honour Ben’s memory by hosting a celebration of his life, raising funds to support the RNLI and the Arsenal Foundation.
A football match between Arsenal’s charity team and an Essex Hands side was held at Clacton FC’s Rush Green Road ground.
There was also a custom bike show and live performances of some of Ben’s favourite songs.
Organiser Marion Knight said: “The weather wasn’t good at all but we still had 300 people there and raised more than £3,500.
“The night before the candle-lighting ceremony raised £300 to put towards a bench in memory of Ben.
“It was very emotional, there was a lot of love in that ground that day.
“The kids loved the beach area and the stone hunt, it was a fantastic coming together of the community.”
Essex Hands players included former Tottenham Hotspur player Steven Slade, ex-snooker player Mark King and celebrities Luke White, Twin MCs, Jason Burrell, Dean Ralph, Ben Jardine, Gary Beadle and Sen Monro.
Two tonnes of sand were delivered to the ground to form a makeshift beach, with palm trees donated by Tendring Council.
Pictures: Simon Rich Photography
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here