FRIENDS and classmates of "cheeky" Cobham teenager Charlie Booth who apparently shot himself with his father’s gun have laid tributes at his school.

Hundreds of heartfelt messages and flowers have been left in the pavilion, where the 16-year-old would have dropped his bag during the school day.

The Year 11 pupil at £10,000-a-year Gad's Hill School in Higham was found dead at his country home in Watling Street at 10.30pm on Friday, March 8.

One message, attached to flowers from his best friend Zak Warwood, read: "Charleston, I love you man, keep smiling up there."

Katie W wrote a tribute poem in memory of "cheeky" Charlie. Part of it read: "I’ll forever sit and wonder, watch the days go by, I’ll go through all the pictures and ask ‘why’?

"Even though I’ll miss you, think about you every day, I’ll always see you as a brother, and that’s all I have to say."

On Friday (March 15) the senior school united to pay tribute to Charlie with a special memorial service.

It began with a Drumhead Service, usually conducted in the military field during armed conflict, where five of Charlie’s fellow cadets carried drums onto the school’s stage.

His best friends then joined the school’s headmaster David Craggs and Father James Southward from St John Evangelist in Higham to remember Charlie.

Poems were read out, music played and speech delivered before hundreds of pupils, past and present, and their families and friends.

Afterwards 61 white balloons, each with personal messages from every member of his year group, were released in Charlie’s memory.