A TEENAGE boy whose brother died after jumping into a river has been given County Durham’s highest honour in recognition of his campaigning efforts to prevent further loss of life.

Thirteen-year-old Cyle Gosling’s older brother Cameron died from ‘cold water shock’ after entering the River Wear while out with friends on a hot summer day three years ago.

The 14-year-old, who lived at Crook and was a student at Parkside Academy in Willington, had not got his body used to the water temperature first.

Cyle, also a pupil at Parkside, has joined forces with Durham County Council on its Dying to be Cool campaign, which aims to make ten to sixteen year olds aware of the dangers of going into cold water without acclimatising.

He got up in front of his fellow students at Parkside during an assembly to speak about what happened to his brother and life without him, and to educate them about cold water shock.

Cyle said: “Cameron was my best friend, we did so much together and life has been full of ups and downs since he died.

“We want to let people know about cold water shock to stop other families having to go through what we have been through, and we will continue to do all we can to raise awareness.”

Cyle was the star of a video made by the council which has since been viewed more than 46,000 times on Facebook alone, and he was interviewed by the region’s TV, radio and newspaper journalists at the spot where his brother died, at the launch of the 2018 campaign.

The Dying to be Cool project has seen assemblies delivered more than 15,000 children in County Durham schools over the last three years.

He has now been awarded the council’s Chairman’s Medal, the highest honour the authority can present to individuals and organisations for outstanding voluntary contribution to the county.

Cyle, one of the youngest recipients of the medal, was presented with it in recognition of “outstanding services to other young people in County Durham in relation to water safety education and awareness”.

He is the second member of his family to receive the medal, with he and Cameron’s mum Fiona being presented with it last year in recognition of her work on Dying to be Cool.

Recalling the moment he found out he had been nominated for the medal, Cyle said: “I jumped up and I just started singing and dancing because I was that excited.”

Cyle was also the first person that Councillor John Lethbridge has chosen to receive the medal in his time as chairman.

Cllr Lethbridge said: “When I hear that he was leaping up and down with excitement because he’d been awarded this Chairman’s Medal it pleased me greatly.

“The work that he’s been doing and his mam’s being doing is truly worthwhile.”