Mum's heartbreaking tribute to son killed in balcony fall
Lucas Briscoe from Cheshire died on holiday in Spain
Last updated 22nd Aug 2019
Words by Tess de la Mare, PA
The mother of a 12-year-old boy who fell to his death from the balcony of a Spanish apartment block has paid tribute to him as my life, my soul, my everything''.
Lucas Briscoe, from Lostock Gralam in Cheshire, was on holiday with his mother Nicola Marshall and one of his school friends in the Costa Del Sol resort of Fuengirola when he fell on Tuesday afternoon.
They had been at the end of a two-week holiday and were getting ready to go home when the accident happened.
In an emotional tribute, Ms Marshall said: I can't believe he's gone. He was my world.
Please grab your child and cuddle them today and tell them how much you love them because they're precious and you never know when tomorrow will never come.
Lucas was my life, my soul, my everything. We were as close as a mother and son could ever be.
From the moment I held my baby boy in my arms, to the young man he had become, my proudest moments were telling people he was mine.''
Lucas, a talented singer and rugby player, was a student at St Nicholas High School in Hartford, Northwich. He had been due to audition for TV talent show The Voice this weekend.
Ms Marshall said she had been making lunch and nagging the boys to help clean when Lucas fell.
They had been staying in a holiday apartment owned by Lucas's father and Ms Marshall's ex-husband Gary Briscoe. Mr Briscoe has now flown to Spain.
Ms Marshall said: What should have been the final day of an amazing holiday ended up being the worst day of my life.
I lost my world, my everything, when Lucas went over the balcony. A fall, a jump, a slip, a moment of silliness, boyish behaviour, annoyed at his mum for nagging him over hoovering.
I will never know. But what I do know one million per cent is that if Lucas had truly known the repercussions of climbing over, he wouldn't have wanted that. He wouldn't have wanted to leave this world. Not yet.''
Mr Briscoe said: Lucas was a memorable character - funny, outgoing, sociable - he is going to leave a big hole in a lot of lives.
He packed so much into his 12 years and lived it to the full. I am devastated. No-one expects to say goodbye to a child and not in circumstances like this. We are devastated at losing our precious, vibrant and loving son.''
A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: We are offering support to the family of a British child who has died in Fuengirola.
Our thoughts are with them at this very difficult time and Foreign Office staff are in contact with the Spanish police.''
The death is being treated as an accident