THE family of a 13-year-old boy who died last summer have christened a new rowing boat in his honour.

A crew of students who rowed Loch Ness last September to help raise funds for the racing shell were among those at the special tribute in memory of budding Monmouth School cox Tom Walker.

Tom’s parents Debbie and Tim, sisters Holly and Emily, and grandfather Glyn Smith, took it in turns to pour champagne over the boat at Monmouth School for Boys’ Rowing Club, which has been named The Otter, after Tom’s favourite mammal.

The Otter was bought with funds raised by pupils and money from Tom’s estate, and will be used widely by the school’s J14 and J15 rowers in training and competition.

Rowing master John Griffiths said The Otter could have its first major outing on the Olympic course at Dorney Lake at the national Junior Sculling Head in March.

Tom was a pupil at Monmouth School for Boys and his unexpected death from leukaemia in June has been felt by all who knew him.

His 12-year-old sister, Holly, is organising a Swim for Tom marathon as part of another fundraising project, with the aim of volunteers swimming the 430km distance of the River Wye and back.

Cash raised will go towards a Cancer Research Wales £100,000 research project in memory of Tom, who was a keen musician and swimmer.

The swimathon has already attracted more than 500 swimmers and will take place in the pool at Monmouth School for Girls on Sunday, January 6.