A MUM is calling on family and friends to help celebrate the life of a teenager who drowned in a Chorley quarry on what would be his 21st birthday.

Dylan Ramsay was 13 when he died in July 2011 after developing breathing difficulties when jumping into a quarry lake in Whittle-le-Woods.

Mum Becky Ramsay says the family want to hold a vigil for close friends near the quarry to toast his life on October 17 at 6.48pm, which would have been his birthday.

Two days later, Becky has arranged a party at The Dog Inn in Whittle-le-Woods for family and friends.

She said: “I feel it is going to be very emotional but I want it to be a joyous occasion too.

“It will feel surreal as there will be people there who I have not seen since they were 13 or 14 and now they may be 22 or 23.

“We don’t want cakes or anything, just some music dedicated to him.

“The messages have been flooding in and people are saying they are coming.

“Having people telling me their stories and memories about Dylan makes me feel happier.

“The reason for doing the event on Friday is that I don’t think he would have celebrated midweek.

“I want people to remember him.

“People from Newcastle and Cornwall have said they will be lighting a candle and putting a blue heart on Facebook as that is raising awareness of deaths in open water.”

Becky insists it is getting harder as time goes on, but hopes the sharing of memories will help.

She said: “I think the world was robbed of one of Chorley’s finest young men.

“He was something special and an A-star student.

“It is hard to watch other friends growing up and we have not been able to see what he would have done for this world.”

Since the tragic death of the Parklands High School pupil, the mum-of-four has battled to raise awareness about the dangers of open water.

An emotional Becky said: “I did not teach Dylan about it.

“It makes me sad that I was not able to warn him and I won’t be able to rectify it," she added.

“If I can try to get the message across to other kids by going into schools and teach them then it may help prevent someone else from dying.”