THE funeral of a teenager whose body was found two weeks after he disappeared will be held next week.
Haydn Mark Evans, 18, whose relatives live in Flintshire and Wrexham, was found dead at Carden Park Hotel two weeks after the search for him was first launched.
Haydn had last been seen at the entrance of the hotel in Broxton, near Chester, in the early hours of Saturday, December 17.
He had been at a party with his colleagues, including his father Graham, from MPH Construction of Mold.
Police divers had searched waterways on the 1,000 acres of the estate on December 20 but his body was not found until 10 days later.
A spokesman for Cheshire Police said yesterday: “The lake in which the body was found was initially searched by underwater search team divers but due to the visibility and size of the lake, which is equivalent to the size of two full sized football pitches, it was decided on Friday to utilise specialist sonar equipment that has to be deployed on a boat.
“The manual searching of a lake by divers is usually successful which is why this option was used initially. However, it is recognised this is not a foolproof method which is why sonar equipment was subsequently used.”
On Friday afternoon police said the body of a teenager had been found and it was confirmed it was Haydn on New Year’s Eve.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, January 13, at St Mary’s Church, Mold, at 10am and then at Pentrebychan Crematorium, Wrexham, at 11.30am.
Family and friends of Haydn are invited to meet at the Working Men’s Club on Wrexham Street, Mold, after the funeral.
“Everybody who wants to pay their respects is welcome,” said Haydn’s stepsister Jade Conway.
A statement released by Haydn’s family paid tribute to him.
It said: “Unfortunately on Friday, December 30, we found out that Haydn tragically lost his life.
“We are all completely devastated and words cannot describe the pain we are feeling. Haydn was such a loving and kind-hearted lad. He was a typical teenager who knew everything and was afraid of nothing.
“Everyone loved to be around him because he was so funny and when he was around he just made everybody smile. It’s so heartbreaking to go through this and to lose somebody so young whose life was just beginning.
“Haydn had the world at his feet and it is so unfair to have him snatched away from us.”
It continued: “We would like to thank the police for all they have done, and a massive thank you to family, friends and well-wishers.
“The story of Haydn has touched so many people. We all hoped for a happy ending, but unfortunately it was not meant to be.
“Haydn, you can be at peace now. You are, and always will be, loved dearly. We will all cherish every memory we have of you and will never forget you. Rest in peace.”
Ashley Jones, headteacher at the Alun School in Mold where Haydn had been a pupil, said: “We at the Alun School all remember Haydn very well as an extremely likeable young man who always had a smile on his face.
“He had a good sense of humour, was well liked by staff and pupils and had a wide circle of friends. We extend our sincere condolences to all of his family and friends at this difficult time.”
Yesterday condolences were still being posted on several Facebook pages set up in his memory, including ‘Prayers for Haydn and his family’ and ‘In loving memory of Haydn Mark Evans, gone but never forgotten’.
Haydn lived in Maes Y March, Mold, with his father, 17-year-old brother Ben and stepmother Kim.
He also leaves his mother Lynsey Bell, from Coedpoeth, sister Nicola, brothers Richard and Terry and stepbrother Jamie.