Nick Cave pays tribute to son after death in cliff fall
Musician Nick Cave has paid tribute to his teenage son who was found with life-threatening injuries by members of the public at the bottom of the cliff at Ovingdean Gap about 6.00pm on Tuesday after having fallen from the cliffs.
The 15-year-old was taken to hospital, but he later passed away from his injuries. The death is not being treated as suspicious," a spokesman said.
Schoolmates came to lay flowers at the spot near where the teenager was found. It has been reported that the Cave family visited the cliff at Ovingdean Gap overnight, Nick Cave, his wife Susie, and Arthur's twin brother Earl paid tribute and took the time to read various messages and notes left for Arthur.
“I love you so much. You were a joy to be around and I will never forget you. You were the best brother I could ever ask for. Earl x x x x x,” Earl wrote in his note to his brother.
Cave and his wife Susie said: " Our son Arthur died on Tuesday evening. He was our beautiful, happy loving boy.
"We ask that we be given the privacy our family needs to grieve at this difficult time."
Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious.
Arthur, who lived in Brighton, died at the Royal Sussex County Hospital. A coroner is now investigating his death.
Arthur's best friend Ed Bucknall was among a group who laid flowers at the top of the cliff.
He told The Daily Mail the 15-year-old was a keen skateboarder who was 'genuinely lovely and funny'.
"He was my best friend. I saw him every day and I can't believe what's happened. I was with him in the morning, he was round mine, Bucknall said.
"He was one of the nicest guys you could meet, he was so funny and just so much fun. He never said a bad word about anyone.
"He loved skating, we always used to skate together. And now we can't. I'm devastated, I can't even explain it - I'm just broken. I've been distraught ever since I heard. I was with his brother Earl when I heard and I went and saw their dad.
"I'm not sure what Arthur was doing at the time, I have no idea how he would have fallen. He was just such a nice guy, you couldn't have asked for a nicer mate."
Ed also said that he and Arthur had just finished year 10 at the private St Bede's School in Hailsham, East Sussex.
The family live in Brighton, about five 5 kilometres from the spot where Arthur was found.
Cave, 57, is an Australian musician and songwriter, best known as being lead singer of the band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, an alternative rock group formed in Melbourne in 1983.
Both Arthur and Earl appeared in Nick's 2014 biopic '20,000 Days On Earth'.
