Gone too soon

Alex Carter

Tributes flood in for popular 17-year-old

THE tragic sudden death of a much-loved Oldham teen has sparked a wave of touching tributes from across the borough.

Oldham College student Alex Michael Carter, of McDonough Close, collapsed at his home on Friday, just days after celebrating his 17th birthday.

Grandad Wilfred Ratcliffe (65), who he lived with, said: “He got out of bed at about six in the morning saying he didn’t feel very well.

“He rang the ambulance himself but then collapsed on the floor. The paramedics managed to get him on a stretcher and did all they could for him.”

Alex was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital but was pronounced dead moments later. A cause of death is yet to be established.

Wilfred added: “He would do anything for anybody. The place has been packed since he died with people visiting. I didn’t realise how many lives he had touched.”

A star in the making, Alex was a keen performing arts student. Described as a “cheeky chappy”, he had been the light in the lives of countless locals, regularly attending Fitton Hill Youth Club and fundraising for youth charity the Eden Project.

News of his death has seen hundreds of messages posted on the social networking site Facebook, on which he had over 1,000 friends.

Sister Gemma (25) said: “It was such a big shock. He was a great brother and was so funny. It is such a waste of a life. How do you explain a 17-year-old collapsing and dying?”

A keen rugby league player, the former Hathershaw School pupil played prop forward for Fitton Hill Bulldogs and had even taken to the pitch at the City of Manchester Stadium with the New Deal for Communities team as a young boy.

Jason Donbavand, Alex’s rugby coach, said: “He was the joker in the pack — always laughing. Everybody is heartbroken.”

The Bulldogs have since been inundated with messages of condolence from other rugby clubs.

Lorna Philip, assistant head at Hathershaw School, said: “He was only young but he was a legend. He had an impact on everybody. People looked up to him.

“Alex was somebody who was so full of life and always good-humoured. I will always remember him for helping some of the younger children to read. He was brilliant at that.”

Alun Francis, principal and chief executive of The Oldham College said: “Staff and students are saddened. Alex was a talented and committed student who had a bright future ahead of him. Our thoughts are with his family.

He also leaves behind another sister, Leanne, and mother Beverley Carter.

The coroner has been informed and is waiting for the results of a post mortem examination.