Young Chelsea fan died after hurting neck in Thames jump

Brian Sasu was reported missing after going swimming on Tagg's Island, Richmond-upon-Thames

An aspiring teenage footballer drowned after he jumped into the River Thames off a bridge during a heatwave, an inquest heard.

West London Coroner's Court heard Brian Sasu, of Feltham, suffered a "traumatic neck injury" on 18 July.

The 14-year-old had been swimming with friends at Tagg's Island near Richmond when he jumped off the bridge.

Dr Anton van Dellen concluded he died by accident "by drowning in association with a traumatic neck injury".

Brian had gone to Tagg's Island after school with friends and his body was recovered from the river the following day.

The coroner said: "Brian did what many young people do in the middle of summer which was to go outdoors and enjoy himself with his friends.

"It is an absolute tragedy that in doing so unfortunately what appears to have happened is that he came by an accident when he jumped off that bridge.

"It must have happened in a fleeting moment when, on 18 July 2022 in the late afternoon on a summer's day, he jumped off Tagg's Island bridge and unfortunately he appears to have injured himself and hurt his neck and the effects of that meant he had difficulty in the water and then drowned."

He praised the emergency services' efforts to try and rescue Brian.

"I suspect a number of those people searching would have had children of their own," he added.

The coroner also read a statement from Grant Braban who said there was a history of people jumping from the bridge - an issue he had flagged to police.

But, Dr van Dellen said he was satisfied appropriate steps had been taken to reduce the risk of more deaths at Tagg's Island.

A statement from Brian's sister Gloria Sasu was also read out which described her sibling as "the light of the house".

She said he was an "aspiring footballer" and wanted to play for his favourite team Chelsea.