A BOY who died after falling into the River Thames yesterday has been named locally as Aown Dogar.

Police confirmed today that a teenager had been pronounced dead at 9pm last night after he had got into difficulty in the River Thames.

Emergency crews had pulled him out of the river yesterday near Donnington Bridge on Weirs Lane and he was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Aown was a pupil at Cheney School, which today paid tribute to his "great sense of humour and fun loving personality."

A statement from the school said: "The Cheney School community is deeply saddened by the loss of Aown Dogar and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.

"Aown was a much loved student within Cheney due to his great sense of humour and fun loving personality. He loved both football and cricket, and was a member of the school cricket team.

"He was a pleasure to teach as he really valued his education. He will be sorely missed by the whole school community and we he will always be remembered with great fondness."

On a Facebook tribute page to Aown, loved ones posted messages about the teenager, offering their thoughts and prayers for his family.

According to the group, Aown played for Quarry Rovers FC and the club have said they will retire his number 17 shirt.

One user on the Facebook page, Akhi Zeeshan Mahmood, posted: “RIP Aown.

“It feel like yesterday I would come up to you shake your hand and be like how are you?

“And he would always look at you with his smile.”

Thames Valley Police said the boy's family had been informed and the body has been formally identified.

Police could not confirm his age but described him as a teenager.

The scene on Abingdon Road last night

Ambulance, fire and river rescue services also attended the scene in Weirs Lane, which was temporarily shut while the rescue unfolded.

A spokesman for South Central Ambulance Service said it was called at 7.14pm, and send a Hazardous Area Response Team, one ambulance and a helicopter.

He added the boy was unresponsive when he was rescued.

A police helicopter was also deployed.

Kyle King, 18, who lives in Weirs Lane, said: "I heard all different sirens.

"I had a look because the whole road was closed off. I ran around to the weir and saw a man looking into the river.

"There were three members of the emergency services in the water searching with big long poles trying to find the boy.

"Police officers came and told us to leave the area.

"Ten minutes later a helicopter landed in fields near the river and then went off again."

The tragedy came two-and-a-half years after teenager Hussain Mohammed died after jumping off Donnington Bridge after being dared by a friend in May 2012.