A fundraising appeal to help support the family of a 14-year-old boy who died when he was hit by a bus last week has raised more than £12,000 in just two days.
Jonathan Debnam, a pupil at Samuel Whitbread Academy in Clifton, died on Thursday (July 4) when he was hit by a bus on the A600 High Road, just outside the village of Shortstown, where he lived.
There has been an outpouring of tributes to the 14-year-old, who was a former pupil at Robert Bloomfield Academy in Shefford.
"Jonathan was a funny, kind and intelligent boy who loved his family and friends with all his heart," his family said in a heart-breaking statement.
Both schools Jonathan attended have also paid tribute to him. Samuel Whitbread Academy has praised Jonathan's "spirit, warmth, and the joy he brought to those around him", while Robert Bloomfield Academy said it is "absolutely devastated to lose such a gentle, kind and caring young man from our community".
A GoFundMe page, set up by family friend Melanie Smith, has smashed its £10,000 target - raising £12,385 in two days.
Melanie said: "Jonathan was a shining star. He was kind, clever and such a caring boy, with the biggest of hearts.
"His mum, Jackie, and sister, Ellie, deserve the support from our community to provide their wonderful son and brother with the celebration of his life he deserves.
"Not only that, Jackie would like to have a bench placed in Jonathan’s favourite spot, so others can sit and share all of their wonderful memories and stories of Jonathan.
"Jackie and Ellie need time to be together and navigate their way through such a tragic event, and if financially they can be supported, it will be one less pressure on them both as a family."
If you would like to make a donation, please visit gofundme.com/f/jonathan-debnam.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the collision, or the events leading up to it, to get in touch.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police via orlo.uk/ECHv7, or by calling 101, quoting Operation Dudley or reference 139 of 4 July.
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