MYSTERY surrounds the death of a 23-year-old aspiring fashion designer from east Hull whose body was found in the street. Anthony Walgate, a popular and talented second-year art, fashion and design student at the University of Middlesex, was found by police at 4am in Barking, London.
Mr Walgate's mother, Sarah Sak, says she was told by London's Metropolitan Police that officers had suspected drugs or alcohol.
However, results came back clear and further tests are expected to be carried out within the next two weeks in a bid to determine the reason for Mr Walgate's death.
Mrs Sak, who lives off Holderness Road, east Hull, said: "My family is devastated.
"Straight away I told police that I was 150 per cent sure it will not have been drink or drugs. He wouldn't touch beer. He would drink cocktails or wine. That was his thing."
Mr Walgate grew up in the Foredyke Avenue area, off Leads Road. He attended David Lister School and Hull College prior to leaving for London.
Although he died on June 19, the coroner has only now released his body, allowing the family to arrange his funeral.
Mrs Sak, who is divorced from her son's father Tom Walgate, said the wait for information has compounded the family's grief.
"It has been very traumatic for us all," she said. "It took 14 weeks before we got the toxicology results back.
"Now, 20 weeks after he has died we are preparing for his funeral and it has opened up raw pain all over again."
Mrs Sak told how she was on holiday in Turkey when she learned of the tragedy.
"It took three days for me to find out my son had died," she said. "I had my mobile phone switched off.
"One day I switched it on and realised I had hundreds of messages. I knew then that something awful had happened."
Mrs Sak was informed of Mr Walgate's death by her eldest son, Paul Shepherd.
"I was in total shock," she said. "I was hysterical. The Thomson rep was amazing. She organised a flight home straight away.
"The hotel manager drove me to the airport and I flew to Manchester."
Mrs Sak said the family needs to know what happened to bring a sense of closure.
She said: "It's a relief that we are finally able to arrange his funeral, but we still don't know what happened.
"Anthony was fit and healthy. He would go to the gym two or three times a week."
Before Mrs Sak flew to Turkey, she spoke to her son.
"I always spoke to Anthony before I went away," she said. "He was really happy. He had struggled with uni to begin with, but he had just started to 'get' it. He was excelling."
Mrs Sak said her son longed to be famous.
"His dream was to be a famous fashion designer," she said. "He was so well-liked at university they have told me they plan to award a certificate, in Anthony's memory, to a student who has come on the most."
The family plan to make a donation to St Andrew's Hospice in Grimsby.
Mr Walgate's funeral will take place at 1.30pm, on Tuesday, November 4, in the large chapel at Chanterlands Crematorium in west Hull.
• Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
•Emergency services updates and breaking news
