Police are not treating as suspicious the death of a Gillingham teenager whose body was found in the River Medway.

Eighteen-year-old Sonny Singh Pataria, a former pupil at Gillingham's New Brompton College, was last seen at the Commissioner's House in Chatham's Historic Dockyard on Tuesday night.

A Medway Police spokesman said a post mortem would be carried out next week

Sonny Singh Pataria lived in Woodlands Road, Gillingham.

On Friday, the teenager's former head teacher paid tribute to him.

New Brompton College head teacher Judy Rider said:"Sonny was a pupil at New Brompton College until he left in June, 2007, with six GCSEs.

She said:""We are all terribly sad to hear about his death. We have a number of year 13 students who knew Sonny and are terribly upset.

"He was a nice boy and very well liked by his peer group.

"What a waste of a life.

"We have two counsellors in school and they are available for any students or staff who need to speak to them.

"We will be doing something in assembly in memory of Sonny."

Hundreds of tributes have been paid to the teenage. By Friday afternoon, nearly 700 people had logged on to a special Facebook group. There were also 292 posts.

According to one of the posts, a collection will be started in Sonny's memory.

Full coverage of this story in the print edition of Monday's Medway Messenger

The teenager was a keen football fan. The tributes on the Medway Messenger website includes one from Charlton Athletic and a Medway soccer club.

Officers were called out just after 9.30am on Wednesday to where the body had been spotted, behind Medway Council's headquarters at Gun Wharf, Dock Road.

Police and Army vessels were launched from Sheerness and Upnor.

Tributes to the teenager started appearing on the Facebook website from 2am on Thursday - 14 hours before Medway Police made his name public.

The long list of condolences on Facebook included 55 photographs of the teenager.

The Facebook tribute page is called 'post 4 lil sonny p :('

Some of the messages are from pupils at Robier Napier secondary school and New Brompton College, Gillingham.

Sadie Stevens, Robert Napier school, wrote:"I can remember when we first met. Now you have been taken from us so quickly. You'll never be forgotten."

Amanda Brooker wrote: "RIP, Sonny. Taken too soon from us all. Your smile will never be forgotten."

Vicky Ihama,New Brompton College, wrote: "Sonny, you will be missed so much. Why have you been taken from us so early? You will be missed so much and you are in everyone's hearts."

Here are a selection of the tributes on our website:

•He was one of my best mates. Just after his 18th. It was a shock to everyone. The boy was loving and caring.

•He was a sweet boy and he's going to be missed. I only met him once but he made me smile. Never forgotten.

•Only met him a few times but he was always fun and smiling. Always up for a laugh and good time. I was with him on Saturday. Seems weird to think that four days later he is gone.

•He was a great person and a good friend of mine.

Do you know Sonny? Call our Newsdesk on 01634 227803 or email us at medwaymessenger@thekmgroup.co.uk