THE tragic death of Adam Kirby sent a wave of mourning through north Watford this week -- teachers at the 11-year-old's school were reduced to tears while devastated friends were treated by emergency counsellors.

A teddy bear and flowers are all that stand in the spot where the north Watford youngster, "a likeable boy", was killed on a day out with his father last Sunday.

A bunch of flowers from his brothers carries the message: "We will miss you so much. You will always be in our dreams."

Adam, of Sussex Road, had been watching a model aircraft display with his father in a field off Coursers Road, in London Colney, when the tragedy happened.

Shortly after 2pm, he was struck by a remote-controlled aircraft on the back of the head. He had been standing in an area designated safe to watch the display by Phoenix Model Flying Club.

Ambulance crews rushed to the scene but paramedics failed to revive the boy who died cradled in his father's arms. He was taken to the QE2 Hospital in Welwyn Garden City where he was pronounced dead.

Mr Ian Cashmore, the boy's step-brother, said: "You expect there to be a level of safety so you can take your family to such displays and for them to come home at the end of the day."

Adam had been a pupil at Beechfield JMI School in Gammons Lane, north Watford, since the age of four.

He was looking forward to going on a school journey to Norfolk later on in the year and was pleased at winning a place at Francis Combe in September.

The entire school was left in a state of shock. School friends were too distraught at the death of a "likeable boy" to attend school.

Mrs Marilyn Jones, headteacher of the school, said: "The whole school is devastated to hear news of Adam's sudden death. He was a popular, likeable boy who always tried hard at school.

"The staff, children and parents at Beechfield are finding it hard to come to terms with the news."

Emergency counselling sessions have been set up at the school to help fellow pupils cope with the news.

Mrs Jones added: "In due course, when we have recovered from the shock, we will think how we can commemorate Adam's life at Beechfield. All our thoughts are with Adam's family at this time."

Neighbours in Sussex Road were devastated at the news and are in a state of shock.

Mrs Marie-Antonette Lipscombe, a neighbour of the boy's mother, said: "He had waved goodbye to his mother to head out for a fun day with his father only for his father to come back with this terrible news.

"Everyone in the street is absolutely devastated. Even the teachers at the school were in floods of tears on Monday morning.

"He was such a lovely boy. If he saw me as he walked past he always made the effort to say hello. What a tragedy."

Mr Robert Drury, 68, who lives next door to the field, said the day of the tragedy had been like any other Sunday -- "a busy day for the club".

He said: "It must have been a one in a billion chance that this lad got hit. The club has been using the field for about 20 years and I have never known of any problems before.

"They have all sorts of safety rules, but it's accepted practice for spectators to stand on the side of the runway."

The man controlling the plane was questioned by police but was not detained. An inquest was opened by the coroner for west Hertfordshire, Mr Edward Thomas, on Wednesday morning to investigate the tragedy.

A joint investigation has also been launched between the British Model Flying Association (BMFA), the Metropolitan Police, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Air Accident Investigation Branch.

They are testing the aircraft and the control device for any mechanical faults.

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