Hundreds of mourners packed into a Shropshire church to pay their last respects to a “wonderful” county teenager who drowned in Spain.

The funeral of Ethan Chant, 18, of Weston-under-Redcastle, near Wem, was held in the village yesterday.

At least 100 mourners who could not squeeze into the church had the service relayed to them on loudspeakers outside.

Ethan’s friends from school, college and the Army Cadets packed the church and churchyard with his fellow cadets forming a guard of honour as his coffin passed.

During the service at the Chapel of St Luke, Ethan’s family paid tribute to the teenager who drowned off the southern coast of Spain, near Huelva, Andalusia, on May 15.

His father Shaun said: “Ethan’s loss has torn a gaping hole in our lives. We are finding it impossible to accept that he is gone and we will never see him again.

“He has touched so many lives and enriched so many lives. To his family he was a loving and caring son and brother. He was beautiful, warm and intelligent.

“When we look at pictures we realise that Ethan has not completely gone.

“We have had just 18 of the most wonderful years. It has been our luck and privilege to know this boy.”

Ethan’s brother James said: “Ethan was not just my brother but he was my friend. He was always there for me if I needed to talk. He loved life.”

He also read lyrics from the song Turn The Page by The Streets, paying tribute to Ethan as a “young, bold soldier”.

It also emerged a further tribute is being planned by friends of Ethan, a former Thomas Adams School pupil and Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology student.

College pals are raising funds to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in memory of Ethan, who loved the great outdoors.

A collection was held after the service in Ethan’s memory with proceeds being shared between Wem Royal British Legion and a fund for the college trip to Tanzania.

The Bob Marley hit Everything’s Gonna Be Alright was played as the funeral service drew to a close.

A private burial ceremony for close family took place after the funeral.

By Tom Johannsen