PARENTS of drowned North-East teenager Adam Shad have decided his final resting place will be the hills around Loch Lomond where he spent his last hours.

His mother and stepfather, Jeanette and Terry Cooper, vowed to travel back to Scotland to scatter the teenager's ashes at the spot where he was most happy.

The couple - together with 15-year-old Adam, who had learning difficulties, and his younger brother, Joseph - had been enjoying the scenery and fabulous weather at Loch Lo-mond when tragedy struck.

The family had spent an idyllic week fishing, rowing and messing about in the calm waters around the loch and so decided to stay on despite originally planning to return home on Tuesday.

Now, after bringing Adam's body back to Gateshead for the funeral they plan to take his ashes to Cruach Hill and scatter them in his memory.

Mrs Cooper, 39, of Sunderland Road, Felling, Gates-head, said: "Those last few days at the campsite were the happiest I have seen him for months.

"He went exploring and fishing with nets with his brother and he was so relaxed and happy. It was brilliant to see him like that.

"We were supposed to go home on Tuesday, but Adam and Joseph were so happy we decided to stay on. Friends who we had met promised to take him water-skiing."

Mr Cooper, 36, said: "When I took him across the lake he was in such a good mood, laughing and joking and carrying on.

"As soon as we can, me and Jeanette have decided to go back and climb that hill and scatter his ashes there because that's where he had been the most happy and it is what he would have wanted."

Mrs Cooper said: "I am so worried about how this will affect Joseph.

"He is 12 today, and this is the worst thing he could have to deal with on his birthday."

Adam's body was discovered on Thursday by a police diving team just yards from the bank where Mr Cooper had left him on Tuesday.

Mr Cooper said: "I regret taking him out and I regret letting him go off by himself.

"But he was such an impetuous teenager and he just wanted to be on his own for a while."