A kind-hearted boy with a love of football, who always had a smile on his face and a glint in his eye, Mathew Stollery will live long in the hearts of those that knew him.

But it’s Mathew’s happy-go-lucky attitude and love of life that makes his death at the age of 11 - in what is thought to have been a tragic accident - even harder to take for his family, friends and the community around his home in Staplehurst Road in Twydall, Gillingham.

An inquest last week heard how his family and then paramedics had battled to save Mathew after he was found hanged in his bedroom on the evening of May 8.

Mid Kent and Medway assistant coroner Scott Matthewson said he could not come to a verdict of suicide and instead read out a narrative verdict, recording the events leading up to his death.

The court heard Mathew had fallen into a bad mood that evening after it came to light he had been accused of stealing £10 the previous year. He had taken his dinner up to his bedroom.

Mum Joanne Webb told the inquest Mathew had, in fact, been given the £10 for good behaviour, but that it wasn’t unusual for him to take his dinner to his room.

She had left the house to go on a bike ride, but received a call from her daughter just minutes later and raced back to the house to help her son - but it was too late for anyone to save him.

The assistant coroner said it wasn’t clear Mathew intended to take his own life: “It’s certainly a possibility that Mathew was cross and was trying to make a point in his anger, that he intended to be found, and that the reason he did what he did was to shock his family as a result of feeling rotten about the allegations and make them understand he was unhappy.

“Nobody in the family could have predicted it,” he added. “The scene that played out in the house that evening was one that you would see up and down the country, and you would not expect to end in the tragedy this did.

“Nobody is to blame,” he said. “This in my judgement was a terrible accident.”

Earlier in the inquest, a letter from David Brenton - assistant head teacher at Featherby Junior School - explained how Mathew was popular at school and had been working hard in Year 6.

Along with his mum, Mathew lived with dad Mark Stollery, brothers Sam, 18, and James, 13, and sisters Hannah, 15, and Amy, nine. His sister Laura, 19, lives at a different address.

Speaking after the hearing mum Joanne said his popularity extended throughout the neighbourhood.

“He was very popular,” she said. “Not just at school but in the local area as well. Everyone said how happy he was and he was always running to places with a big smile on his face.

“He was a really helpful little boy.

“He was just a really lovely, bubbly little boy and everybody always said how polite he was, and that he always said please and thank you.”

Mathew had a passion for life and a huge number of interests, including playing football, supporting Tottenham Hotspur, and playing video games Fortnite and FIFA; he loved eating cheeseburgers - which he called “chezburgers” - and he loved everything about cars, which led to him wanting to become a mechanic.

“He had a big love for animals - pets, any animal,” added his mum. “He loved going down to Riverside Country Park - he used to go down there with his brothers and sisters.

“He was looking forward to going to London Aquarium during the summer holiday. He wanted us to go up there and spend the day up there - that’s not the sound of someone that wanted to go and do what he did. Mathew loved life too much. That’s why I think it’s a horrible accident.”

And he also knew the importance of working hard at school, said Joanne.

“He got his head down in Year 6 and was working really hard,” she added. “He was really proud of himself. He was looking forward to going to the Howard School.”

Despite all his interests, Mathew also had time for others, and family friend Kevin Cole said his warm-heartedness had stood out.

“One of my sons is in a wheelchair and is often overlooked for games,” he said. “Mathew would always go over and encourage him out of the wheelchair and encourage him to play. The kid had a massive heart, he really did. He had a huge personality.

And he added: “Mathew was a larger than life character with a fun and mischievous glint in his eye. He had a warm heart and showed so much compassion for others. People were drawn to Mathew by his easy going nature and wonderful sense of humour.

“Mathew leaves behind a big void in us all. He will be sadly missed but his memory will live on in his family, friends and anyone who knew him.”

Mum Joanne said the community had been left in shock by Mathew’s death and that the family were still coming to terms with what happened.
“Mathew was the liveliest of all the kids,” she added. “You knew when Mathew was around because you could hear him. He was very loud, and he was a joker.

“Everyone is just in shock because you don’t expect it with such a lovely happy little boy. We haven’t been able to accept it, and we still think he’s going to come through the door.

“The house is just so quiet without him around.”

If you need help, call the Samaritans on 116 123.