A REVEREND is throwing open the doors of his Hampshire church to offer a safe place for friends and family to mourn a popular teenager found hanged in a park.

Reverend Andy Smith has taken the unprecedented step to open Ascension Southampton for six days so that those grieving for Jay Cheshire can do so somewhere safe.

The move comes after the community was left in shock at the sudden death of the 17-year-old and the opening of the church has been made possible thanks to help from four other churches in the area.

As previously reported, the Bitterne Park Sixth Form College student was found by dog walkers last Friday afternoon near the riverbank at Riverside Park and taken to Southampton General Hospital.

He died two days later on Sunday, with his family by his side.

Officer from Hampshire police are not treating his death as suspicious.

The outpouring of grief from his friends in the Bitterne Park area has seen them gather in the park where he was found to lay their tributes.

With help from parishioners from his church, in Thorold Road, and four others in the surrounding area, Rev Smith will open the church between 3pm and 9pm until Tuesday.

He has rallied around enough volunteers to ensure there will be supervision during that time and everything has been moved around inside the church to ensure groups of youngsters can turn up and have somewhere comfortable to hang out.

Rev Smith, pictured below, said: “The community is really shocked and upset about what has happened and the churches wanted to do whatever it could to support these young people.

Daily Echo:

Rev Andy Smith

“As the youngest reverend in the city, I understand the challenges young people face and wanted to be able to give them somewhere to hang out and grieve which is safe.

“We have a graffiti wall where they can write their tributes and share their memories of Jay, or they can light a candle for him. Groups are welcome, as well as those who just want to come in and sit on their own to remember him.”