A teenager is to appear in court accused of murdering schoolboy Joe Geeling, whose body was found dumped in a park on Thursday.

The 11-year-old, who had cystic fibrosis, was discovered in an overgrown ditch in Whitehead Park, Bury, Greater Manchester.

A post-mortem examination revealed that Joe died of multiple stab wounds.

Tributes are to be paid by his local community at a series of special church services in Bury, including the family's local church, St Marie's.

A police spokeswoman said the 14-year-old would appear in court in Greater Manchester on Monday.

The teenager was arrested only one hour after the body was found on Thursday morning after Joe disappeared while walking home from St Gabriel's RC High School the day before.


Joe's body was found in a park Joe's parents, Tom and Gwen, his sisters Kelly and Danielle and brothers Sean and James issued a joint statement saying he was a "special person" who did not let the fact he had cystic fibrosis hold him back.

They said: "Everybody wants us to make a statement or give a few comments on how much Joe meant to us and what a loss he will be.

"None of you have enough time to hear how much he meant to us.

"How do you condense 11 years of fun and love and heartache, worries and accomplishments etc etc etc into a few words?

"Joe was one of those special people that if you ever met him and spent even five minutes talking to him he would leave animpression on you that you would remember and usually with fondness."

A spokesman for the Catholic community in Bury said: "We are deeply saddened by the news of Joe Geeling's death and our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this very sad time."