A TEENAGER who turned 18 just weeks before his death has been described as the “perfect son” by his mother and father.

Speaking to The Northern Echo, Trevor and Leanne Allinson, parents of David Allinson of Darlington, described how everybody who knew their son loved him.

On Sunday, February 2, David’s body was found in Geneva Woods near Neasham Road, after a missing person appeal was launched.

The engineering student of the University Technical College of South Durham in Newton Aycliffe, had been working towards his goal to become a robotics engineer at the time of his death.

The Northern Echo:

Paying tribute to their son, and brother to 14-year-old Ryan, Mr and Ms Allinson said his death had been felt by the community.

Mr Allinson said: “Everybody loved him, he didn’t realise how many people loved him.

“He was so polite, he talked to anybody and chatted away to them, telling them about our pets, he loved to speak to the elderly. He was the perfect son.

“A lot of people thought a lot about him, he was welcome round any of his friends’ houses, he was that kind of guy.”

David, who had known what he wanted to do from a young age, had a number of hobbies.

He was also a member of the Scouts, had a brown belt in martial arts and had been an RAF cadet.

Ms Allinson said: “Gaming was his life. He had friends in Russia he had made because of his online gaming.

“He was also cat mad. He used to scoop up our first cat and take her in his bedroom.

“He had parties here – other mums used to say, ‘I don’t know how you let him have parties,’ things were always getting broken, but he loved his parties. He was known for them.”

The Northern Echo:

Paying tribute to her son, she described how David did not always express his emotions, but was always caring to those around him.

She said: “He was so very kind, in fact one friend had an operation on her foot and he got her a KFC.

“He was always very generous.

“He was an affectionate hugger – he was the perfect son.

“He was never a bother.”

David, who worked part-time at McDonald’s while studying, had celebrated his birthday with family and friends after turning 18 on December 26.

Ms Allinson said: “In the month before he died, for Christmas we went to Beamish Hall and he really enjoyed that.

“Because he was 18, I paid for him to go to Amsterdam on the ferry with a friend for New Year’s Eve.

“He then went to see Slipknot in Newcastle – he had three lovely times in the month before he died.”

Mr Allinson added: “He was my first son.

“You’ve got two kids, you don’t say that you like one more than the other, but I was in awe of him, I was the first one to change his nappy.”

David’s funeral will take place at 3.15pm on Thursday, February 20 at Darlington Crematorium.

Mr and Ms Allinson are asking those in attendance to dress casually and, where possible, wear a beanie hat.

Proceeds raised from donations at his funeral will be given to the Cats Protection charity.