Inquest opens into beloved girl, 14, who died playing in pond with friends

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The inquest into the death of a beloved teen who got into difficulty as she played in the water with her friends has opened.

Lucy Smith, 14, was tragically found dead in a pond near Crowswood Drive in her home town of Stalybridge on Monday, August 15, after getting into difficulty around 6.30pm as she played in the water with her friends.

Despite hours of desperate searching, her body was pulled from the water later that evening. A hearing at Manchester South Coroner's Court on Tuesday, September 6, formally opened the inquest into her death, discussing the brief circumstances of the tragic incident, which saw tributes pour in from devastated friends. READ MORE : Pedestrian died days after 'reckless' cyclist crashed into him on Wilmslow Road, trial hears Senior police coroner's officer, Rita Wilkinson, told the court: "Lucy had been playing with friends in the pond by a local angling club when she got into difficulty and became submerged.

A search was carried out and she was recovered some hours later by underwater search teams." Lucy's body was identified by police who had been given a description of the young girl during the search, with her mum later confirming her daughter's identity.