A SCHOOLBOY drowned in the River Cherwell in the centre of Oxford despite attempts by friends to save him.

Fifteen-year-old Hassan Hussain, a girl and other friends are believed to have gone into the river at spot known as 'the Rollers' at University Parks for a swim, but got into difficulties just before 6pm last Thursday.

Friends managed to haul the girl out, but Hassan disappeared under the surface.

His body was recovered by divers after it was located using an underwater camera.

Ambulance spokeswoman Helen Robinson said: "We had Dr John Black, one of the trauma surgeons from the John Radcliffe, and along with paramedics he worked on the dead boy at the scene for about 15 minutes."

Inspector Tom Brooks, of Thames Valley Police, added: "This is a tragic accident, but obviously our inquiries are continuing."

More than 2,000 people made their way to Cowley's central mosque last Friday for Hassan's funeral.

In keeping with the Muslim tradition, the funeral at the Manzil Way mosque took place the day after the 15-year-old drowned in the River Cherwell.

During the brief ceremony, mourners, including friends who were with Hassan at the time of the accident, came together in prayer. Teachers from Cherwell School and police officers involved in rescue attempts also attended the brief ceremony.

Hassan's father, Bashir, was among a number of mourners who shovelled earth on to the coffin of the young boy as it was buried in a grave at Botley Cemetery next to scores of other Muslim graves.

He described his son as a lively, kind boy who only last Saturday had raised hundreds of pounds for the Anthony Nolan Trust by completing a 35-mile bicycle ride.

He said: "He had so much promise and was so full of life.

"He was very intelligent, he loved sport, especially football, and loved to read.

"He was a special person in the family, but for some reason these things only seem to happen to special people.

"His main ambition was to become a doctor and a friend who is a doctor recently gave him a book about medicine, which he read from cover to cover.

"This friend said he had the making of a great doctor and wrote in the book 'we await your entry to the medical profession'."

Mr Hussain said Hassan was planning to start having swimming lessons in just four weeks' time after he told his father he wanted to improve.

Mr Hussain added: "I think Hassan must have just panicked in the river."

Mr Hussain said his son loved music and wanted to take up the violin.

He added: "He was also brilliant at IT. Everything he touched he was just brilliant at."

Hassan's older brother, Zeeshan, who also attends Cherwell School, also paid tribute.