The heartbroken family of Ashley Woolley, stabbed to death in Chelmsford on Thursday (December 18), have paid tribute to their son, who was days away from his birthday.
The 18-year-old's father was wrapping his Christmas presents on the afternoon he was discovered fatally injured in Oaklands Park.
His family have today released a statement to thank those who have supported them in the wake of their loss, including those who set up a Facebook page in his memory and who laid flowers and tributes close to the scene.
The statement reads: "Thank you to everyone who has shown care and compassion for our son Ashley as it means so much to us as a family.
"Ashley was born and raised in Chelmsford and he lived life to the full. He enjoyed, amongst other things, Free Running, which would fill us with fear in case he broke something.
"Ashley's ambition in life was to finish college and to go on to university along with his loving girlfriend Charlotte who was always there to help and support him and she is devastated by the loss of Ashley.
"Ashley's amazing smile would light up any room that he came into and he leaves behind a loving family who have lost a part of them that can never be filled.
'Humbling'
"At 3pm on that tragic day Ashley's dad Trevor was wrapping Ashley's presents ready for Christmas but now sadly we will never see the pleasure of him opening these presents as well as the presents he would have received from his family.
"Ashley would not want any of us to be sad but at this time it's impossible not to be.
"We would like to thank Ashley's many friends and family that have made fantastic comments on a Facebook tribute page set up by Ashley's best friend in memory of our son.
"We, the family, would also like to thank all of Ashley's friends who turned up to remember him at the place where he was sadly taken from us.
"It was very humbling for the family to see all the people that turned up to lay flowers and tributes to Ashley and made us realise how much our son was loved and respected.
"Ashley would have been 19 years old on December 30 and this is a birthday that we will never see. It was planned on his birthday that Ashley's dad was going to give him the gift of driving lessons.
"Ashley leaves a brother Paul who we know he loved very much and who was a major part in Ashley's life."
A 17-year-old boy from Chelmsford, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with murder and with threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place.
He is remanded in youth custody to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday (December 22).
