Thousands raised in memory of Uckfield teenager

Marc Williams, 18, went missing on Sunday, May 30, after he went to the Maresfield area the evening before.

His body was found in a woodland at the Heron’s Ghyll area late on Tuesday night (June 1).

A 19-year-old Uckfield man has since been charged with his murder.

Marc’s younger brother, Lee Williams, set up a fundraising page on Friday to help assist with funeral costs.

In just three days, it has raised £5,545.

The 17-year-old said: “I’m absolutely astounded at how generous people have been and I’m really grateful. It shows how much people care.”

He added: “Marc was my big brother. I thought, he has done so much for me, I thought I would do something for him.”

Lee described Marc as ‘really cheerful’.

“Marc was just a complete character,” he said. “A lot of people got on with him really, really well.

“He was really close to our family and we did a lot of things together.

“Especially me and Marc, we were very close.”

He said the two of them would enjoy doing parkour. “Me and him did it quite a lot together,” he said. “That was something I loved, and he did too.”

He added: “I miss him. The times we had together were amazing.”

Lee said the family were hoping to get a memorial set up for Marc, near the place where he was found.

He thanked Sussex Police for their thorough work in investigating Marc’s disappearance.

“They worked very, very hard,” he said.

In a statement released through Sussex Police, Marc’s family said: “Marc touched the hearts of so many people, and made their lives brighter with his loving, caring and thoughtful actions.

“We are feeling his loss every second and that will never change. Our hearts are broken.

“Rest peacefully, our cheeky boy. With so much love from Mum, Dad and your whole family.”

Search teams were sent to look for Marc after he went missing on the night of Saturday, May 29.

Police said he had called his family at about 11.30pm to say he was on his way home – but he never returned.

On Tuesday, June 1, Lewis Ashdown, 19, of Normansland, Fairwarp, Uckfield, was arrested in Eastbourne on suspicion of murder.

He was later charged and appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

A pre-trial preparatory hearing will be held on August 3 at Lewes Crown Court and a provisional trial date of January 17 has been set.

Detective Chief Inspector Emma Vickers urged anyone with any information that might assist with the police investigation to report it immediately online or by calling 101, quoting Operation Skittle.

To donate, visit the fundraising page here.