DOZENS of tributes have been made to Kalem Edwards after a man in his 20s was pulled from the River Thames in Oxford on Thursday.

Police have yet officially confirmed the identity of the man, but he has been named locally as Mr Edwards. 

He is pictured here holding Destiny, one of his two daughters.

Mourners have written tributes to Mr Edwards' Facebook profile following the tragic incident.

He has been described as 'always happy' and 'inspirational' in numerous posts.

Jade Ball, mother to Mr Edwards' daughter Destiny, wrote a touching tribute in response to the Oxford Mail article on his death.

She said: "Our daughter will never forget her daddy, you will always have a place in her heart.

"Sleep tight untill we meet again."

Lifelong friend and close neighbour Nicholas Brain, from Blackbird Leys, described Mr Edwards as a ‘happy-go-lucky chap'.

The 26-year-old told the Oxford Mail: “He was one of a kind, he liked to make people laugh.

“He was one of those people who would send you a message on Facebook with 100 hearts afterwards.

“He came a long way and was just such a positive person, it is just such a shame he’s now gone.

“I couldn’t believe it when I found out, it took me a while to process it.”

Carl Boswell from Oxford wrote on the Oxford Mail's Facebook page: "Rip Kalem. Good memories gathered over the years that will last with us all forever. Sleep tight mate."

And Margaret Darwiche said: "Such a well loved young man who brought a bit of sunshine to people who knew him. Rest in peace."

Police and ambulance crews were called to Walton Well Road after reports a body was spotted in the water.

A search and rescue effort by dozens of police, firefighters and paramedics located the man, but despite emergency medical treatment he died at the scene.

Police have yet officially confirmed the identity of the man, but he has been named locally as Mr Edwards. 

At around 6.30pm on Thursday, horrified boat owners watched emergency services break down a fence in a bid to save a man struggling in the water near to Bossom's Boatyard.

Eye witnesses described the scene as 'horrific' and couldn't believe the tragedy unfolding in front of them.

One woman, who did not wish to be named, said she couldn't begin to describe what happened because it was so fresh and 'so upsetting.'

Employees at Bossom's Boatyard were seen mending the locked fence to the marina, which had been damaged during the rescue operation.

Nearby residents in Walton Well Road said the incident was 'awful'. One man who has lived in Jericho for years and didn't want to be named said: "In all the time I have lived here, nothing this awful has happened.

"It was so chaotic last night hearing all the police cars go by.

"Such a sad thing to happen."

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Officers said the man's death was not being treated as suspicious.

Detective inspector Jim Holmes of Force CID based at Oxford, said officers were called at about 6pm to reports a  man was in the river near to Walton Well Road, Jericho, Oxford.

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He added: "Thames Valley Police officers attended along with members of Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue to search for the man.

“Fire crews entered the water and pulled out the man from the water.

“Ambulance crews from South Central Ambulance Service gave the man emergency medical treatment however sadly he was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The man’s next of kin have been informed and our thoughts are with his family at this time.  

"The man’s death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner.”

Thames Valley Police has returned to the scene yesterday morning, with a police photographer arriving to take pictures around the location the man died.

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A resident, who did not want to be named, was walking on Port Meadow at the time of the incident about 6.30pm.

She said: "We were just about to take the dog for a walk and we saw, all of a sudden, unmarked police cars, police cars, a couple of fire engines and we saw police officers diving into the water. 

"For some reason they went to the bridge. Then the air ambulance came and a couple of stretchers came out of it. I thought it was a bit strange.”