BURNLEY has continued to rally round the family of teenager Declan Edwards, who was found hanged in woodland last week.

Dozens of people, including some who never met the 16-year-old, have spent the last few days raising funds to support his family.

Friends staged a football match to raise cash in Queen’s Park yesterday, while others have organised a live music event in Barrowford next weekend.

A number of people also joined bucket collections around the town on Saturday, wearing T-shirts displaying Declan’s photograph.

Nursery teacher Anthony Clark was stationed in a rainy St James’ Street with Padiham Road resident Julie Thompson.

Anthony, 20, of Wycoller Avenue, said: “I live on the next road to the family and I’ve known Declan since he was born. We all used to play football together and he was always a nice lad.

“I know what it’s like to lose someone in your family, so I just wanted to do som-ething to help his parents pay for the funeral. No-one should ever have to bury their own child.

“It’s great to see people in Burnley come together when something like this happens. Everyone has rallied around.”

Julie, 43, of Padiham Road, said: “I didn’t know Declan, but I heard about what happened and just wanted to help out. I was collecting on Padiham Road on Friday as well, and got £136.”

Other collections were held out-side Sainsbury’s, Iceland, Sports Direct and PC World.

The Unity College pupil’s disappearance after a house party on Sunday, May 4, prompted a major search by police and members of the public, and he was eventually found in a secluded area of woodland, near Rowley Lake, on Thursday last week.

Declan’s death is not being treated as suspicious and the Lancashire Tel-egraph understands the Waddington Avenue resident did not leave a note at the scene.

The Bombay Lounge, in Barrowford, will host The Dirty Suns band from 8pm on Friday. Tickets are £15 and available from the Beauty Box, in Rosegrove Lane.

For information on how to donate, see https://www.facebook.com/pages/RIP-Declan-Edwards/1477185389181014