Matthew David Cryer, aged 17, was on his first holiday abroad with a group of pals when he was found slumped outside a nightclub in the beach resort of Laganas, on the island of Zante .

Greek police said the teenager, who grew up in Frecheville and lived in Gaunt Close, Killamarsh, was found collapsed on a pavement outside a club and was rushed to hospital but pronounced dead on arrival.

His devastated parents have not yet been told what exactly happened to him. There has been speculation that he may have fallen down a set of stairs and banged his head or that he may have choked on his vomit.

But the sister of one of Matthew's friends, who had to identify his body, said: "My brother saw no bruising on his head and he was carried down the stairs by paramedics. If he had fallen, how would he have managed to climb back up?"

She added her brother, 18, noticed traces of vomit around Matthew's mouth.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, said Matthew had become separated from his friends before his death. She said: "My brother went looking for Matthew but couldn't find him and went back to their apartment where he told the rest of the group.

"They went to bed but when they found he hadn't returned while they were asleep, they alerted the police. A couple of hours later officers said they had found a body.

"When it all happened my brother was so distraught that stringing a sentence together was difficult, he was in that much shock."

Matthew's family were today waiting for his body to be flown back to Britain.

His heartbroken father Dave Cryer, aged 43, who lives in Middlesbrough, said: "We can't believe it - we are still waiting for it to sink in.

"I am just wandering around thinking about him - he was smashing.

"He was on his first holiday abroad on his own with his friends and had been looking forward to it for a long time.

"I actually spoke to him on the day he died.

"He was sitting by the pool with his mates and he told me it was boiling hot and was laughing at one of his friends jumping into the water with his money in his pockets.

"The last thing I said to him was to drink plenty of water and to put his hat on."

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Matthew, a former Birley School pupil who worked at Burger King to fund his way through a process engineering course he had just completed at college, was planning to start an apprenticeship in petrochemical project management.

"He had everything to look forward to," said his dad.

"All I want are answers - we need to know what happened so that we can lay him to rest.

"He had somehow got separated from his friends. I have heard that most of them have managed to get flights to come home early.

"Some friends have set up a website in his memory and over 100 have already put their names to it. He was a popular lad."

Matthew's heartbroken mum Joanne Froud, 42, said: "Though we have heard much in the way of rumours the only factual information is that he collapsed outside a bar and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

"Matthew was on holiday with friends including the parents of two members of the group. We are expecting them to return anytime now and hope they will have further information for us.

"His family and many friends are understandably devastated as Matthew was wonderful, caring and much loved.

"All those who met him said what a great person he was - he has never been in trouble or caused harm to anyone. He was kind, generous and considerate and we will all miss him greatly.

"At present we are trying to cope on an hour-to-hour basis.

"We are proud and privileged to have had Matthew in our family and our lives and hope that our precious memories of happier times will help us get through this."

See the full tribute from Matthew's mum

Friends' tribute to 'amazing lad'


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