Tributes have been paid to a “diamond lad” who died when he fell into the River Medway last week.

Alan Gulsen was found in the water close to St Peter’s Street Maidstone on Friday afternoon.

Fire crews and police arrived at the scene at around 4pm but the 20-year-old could not be saved.

Will Brockwell, a friend of Mr Gulsen’s, was devastated to hear of the tragic news and is keen to see new safety measures put in place along the perimeter of the path next to the river.

He said: “I knew Alan for five or six years. We were big on the skinhead scene with the reggae music. We grew up together.

“I went through a lot with him. He was a lovely lad. He was such a loveable character. If you didn’t like him at first he would soon grow on you.

“He was a diamond lad.”

Mr Brockwell, a chef at the Malta Inn, would like to see some lighting or a physical railing to help stop a repeat of Mr Gulsen’s death last week.

He added: “Anything is better than nothing. He isn’t the first person to lose his life there. It isn’t lit up down there at night and you have people drinking there.

“I walk that way from work at night and you can’t see anything. Even a street light wouldn’t go amiss.”

Police are treating Mr Gulsen's death as unexplained. They have also said it is not being treated as suspicious.