Tributes to boy, three, who died after falling in the Kennet and Avon Canal

Dylan Milsom passed away following an incident near Ash Bridge on Saturday, March 13, police said. 

In a statement, released through Thames Valley Police, his family described the little boy as their 'rainbow baby' who brought sunshine into their lives. 

Police were called to the scene, just off the A339, on March 13 after reports that a child and his mother had fallen into the canal. 

Both were pulled from the water and taken to hospital where the boy later died. 

Thames Valley Police said the death was being treated as unexplained but not suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.

Dylan's family have now paid tribute to him, writing: “Dylan was our rainbow baby and we knew he was special from the moment he was born. He brought a ray of sunshine into our lives.

“Blossoming into a happy, brave and warm little boy, his brightness simply shone from him wherever he went, always saying hello with a smile to everyone he met. He had an infectious energy for life and poured his heart and soul into everything he did.

“Life was one big, exciting adventure and more than anything he loved being outdoors, so walks were part of our daily lives. When out and about it was rare to see Dylan without his scooter or more recently his first bike which Santa had delivered down the chimney just last Christmas, and if he wasn’t on two wheels, he was on his dad’s two shoulders!

“On our walks, Dylan would splash in puddles, squelch through mud, and climb any log he could find! We would pick up pooh sticks to throw into the river from the little bridge, feed the ducks, always keeping a look out for oval stones to add to his collection at home, and talk about “the sleeping hedgehog” better known to us as fir cones!

“Our walks would often have a park along the way where Dylan would often make a friend and he loved to play with others.

“Dylan was such a bright, clever and inquisitive boy who absorbed all that was around him. He was always desperate to learn about everything he could, be it letters, numbers, or colours, and when asked, he would always say his favourite colours were yellow, orange, pink and purple – a very bright mix, fitting for such a bright boy.

“Dylan loved going to pre-school so much, springing out of bed with a cheer on the days he went to Chieveley pre-school, excited to see his friends. 

“Dylan’s warmth didn’t stop with just a smile for those he met, he was generous and always wanted to be helpful whether this be tidying up his toys, grooming our dog, unpacking the shopping or helping with his little brother. 

“He was great at encouraging his baby brother to learn new skills like rolling, walking and how to play games and when his brother needed comfort, Dylan would sing to him “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”. 

"Dylan truly was the best big brother anyone could wish for.

“Dylan was such a funny little boy, bursting with character, a cheeky laugh and just the right amount of mischief. We often called him a cheeky monkey and he would always respond by telling us he was a Tiger, thinking this would get him out of being called cheeky!

“From then he became our ‘cheeky Tiger’ and Dylan dubbed his little brother the ‘cheeky Monkey’ of the family.

“It has warmed our hearts to hear from so many of the people we know that it was not just our little family that felt he was special and how Dylan could light up a room.

“In this past year the emergency services have been at the forefront of our minds and working at capacity, we want to thank them, not only for their immense response and unrelenting effort to do everything possible to save our little boy, but for the genuine emotion and care displayed through their efforts. Our thanks to those individuals who gave everything they could to our family.

“Dylan simply loved life and he made our lives richer every day. He had a beautiful smile, and we loved his cheeky happy go lucky zest for life.

“These words don’t even come close to describing what an amazing and special little boy Dylan was. Dylan touched the lives of so many people and brought so much light into the world of those who knew him and even those who didn’t. 

“We will miss our beautiful boy forever and keep him close in our hearts always. He will forever be our hero, our world, our everything – our Dylan.”