Bawsey Country Park lake death: Tributes to 'gentle' man who died after swimming

Crews from Norfolk Fire Service assisted police in recovering the body on a day when temperatures across the county reached 30C (86F)

A man who died in a lake on one of the hottest days of the year has been described as "the kindest and most gentle young man".

Kristers Bednarskis was pulled from a lake at Bawsey Country Park near King's Lynn, Norfolk on Saturday.

Norfolk Police said a man "got into difficulty" in the water where swimming is banned at about 11:30 BST.

Friends raising funds towards his funeral said he died two days after celebrating his 22nd birthday.

GoFundMe organiser, Ilja Jevtusenko from Peterborough, said: "Kristers was an amazing friend to everyone. Everyone that knows him will know he was the hardest working, kindest and nicest guy."

Donations have reached £4,850 and have inspired many condolences.

Christine Townsend posted: "You were the kindest and most gentle young man I've ever had the privilege to teach xx."

Mr Bednarskis, who was powerlifting and gym fan, had lived in Peterborough with his parents, having emigrated as a child from Riga in Latvia.

The country park's website states swimming is not permitted

The country park was created on a number of disused sand pits and quarries.

Its website says swimming is not allowed in the two large lakes.

Norfolk Police was called to "reports of a man missing after getting into difficulty in the water" and it was investigating.

A 16-year-old boy from east London, and a 41-year-old who swam out to look for him, drowned at the pits in 2013.