Devastated family friends are preparing to say goodbye to the popular 18-year-old at his funeral on Friday.

Speaking to Wigan Today about the tragedy for the first time, his mum Rosanna Price said Samson “loved his life”.

He was a keen rugby player, enjoyed live music and was proud to be from Wigan.

But the heartbroken mum, along with her husband Samson and daughter Atlanta, are now bracing themselves to say farewell to him.

placeholder image — Rosanna and Samson Price

He was found dead at Westwood Flash on Sunday, October 4, leading to police launching a murder investigation.

An inquest, which was opened last week, heard his medical cause of death was drowning.

Samson was born in Billinge and lived in Goose Green. He attended St Matthew’s Primary School and Hawkley Hall High School, then spent a year at St John Rigby College before starting a plumbing course at Wigan and Leigh College.

Mrs Price said: “He loved being a Wiganer. He didn’t ever want to leave Wigan. If we went anywhere, he couldn’t wait to come home. His friends were all here. He loved his life.”

Samson played for Orrell St James’s ARLFC between the ages of 12 and 16 and won the Lancashire Cup with Wigan RUFC.

He had started playing in the open-age team at Wigan St Jude’s ARLFC and was excited about being back on the pitch.

Mrs Price said: “He really loved life. He was a lad who couldn’t sit still, he was always up and about. He loved sport, he loved music and he loved being the centre of attention, but he wasn’t vain or nasty with it though.

“When he came into a room, he lit up the room. He was our baby.”

She said Samson had a lot of friends and did not like to see people upset.

Mrs Price said: “He was care-free, he had a really happy-go-lucky way. Everything he seemed to touch went his way. He made friends very easily and he never had a problem. I know people say it, but he was our golden boy.

“He hated seeing anyone upset, he hated people being upset around him. He was always so full of life.

“He loved going to see bands and had plans to go to festivals. He had plans to get a camper van with his mates and they were going to tour everywhere.”

The Price family was very close and regularly spent time together, enjoying trips to the Trafford Centre and days out.

She described her son as “very thoughtful” and reminisced that for her birthday, which will fall on Saturday, he would often have a present but leave it until the day to buy her a card.

Mrs Price paid tribute to Samson’s “absolutely amazing” friends, who have raised of pounds for the funeral through an online appeal. There are plans for a charity rugby match and a fancy dress bike ride to Southport.

A funeral will be held at noon on Friday at St Matthew’s Church in Highfield, with a burial in the cemetery there afterwards.

Mrs Price said: “It’s going to be all about Samson. There will be songs that meant something to the family and Samson. We will have some of his friends and family talking about him.”

As his coffin is carried out of the church, a song written by Samson’s cousin Kane Jones, performing as K Sav, will be played. It is called RIP SP and will be released on Spotify on the same day.

Mrs Price said: “He was really close to Samson. When this happened, he wrote this song and dedicated it to Samson and it’s being released on Friday. I would appreciate if everybody could go and buy a copy.”

Police are continuing to investigate Samson’s death. Two men, aged 18 and 19, who were arrested on suspicion of murder, have been released on bail and a 17-year-old boy was released under investigation.

Anyone with information about what happened can call police on 0161 856 7094.

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