Friends and family of tragic Sheffield teenager Ethan Slater have started to gether to line the streets from his Shiregreen home to his final resting place with thousands of blue balloons also along the route as his funeral gets underway today.

Up to 15,000 balloons have been tied to lamp posts, railings and road signs along the route from Molineux Road, where his mum Gabi Gatto lives, to St Mary’s Church in Ecclesfield.

Mourners have gathered along Hartley Brook Road and Barnsley Road, which has turned into a sea of blue in memory of the 17-year-old.

Ethan Slater, aged 17, from Shiregreen, died alongside his teenage sweetheart, Cherish Bean, on a family holiday in Bridlington. | Contributed

placeholder image — Ethan Slater, aged 17, from Shiregreen, died alongside his teenage sweetheart, Cherish Bean, on a family holiday in Bridlington. | Contributed

Friends and relatives were seen handing out balloons at Job Lot on Barnsley Road yesterday (April 1), ensuring as many people as possible could take part in the tribute.

The 17-year-old’s funeral will begin at 1pm on at St Mary’s Church, followed by a burial at Shiregreen Cemetery at 2.30pm and a wake at Colley Club from 3.30pm.

The teenager died alongside his girlfriend, Cherish Bean, while on a family holiday in Bridlington. The couple had been staying in a lodge at a holiday park when tragedy struck.

An inquest has heard the pair may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Four men arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter have since been released on bail as investigations continue.

Speaking previously, Ethan’s mum Gabi said her final words to her son — “Bye, love you. Have a good time” — were spoken as he left for what should have been a normal holiday.

“I had no idea, it was just a normal goodbye,” she said.

Despite the devastation, she said she takes comfort in knowing Ethan and Cherish are together.

“He will be missed by so many, but our biggest comfort is they’re together, he’s not on his own. It’s nice to know they have each other.”

The couple, described by their families as “childhood sweethearts”, had been together for more than two years and were rarely seen apart.

Today’s scenes in Shiregreen reflect the scale of that loss, as a community comes together to honour a teenager remembered as family-focused, and deeply loved.