THE estranged sister of Andrew Lowe – whose body was pulled from the River Derwent at the weekend – has revealed that he had been a talented church musician in his youth.
Specialist police officers discovered the 38-year-old's body in the river at Darley Abbey following a 999 call on Friday.
His sister, Hazel Mansell, did not even know he was missing until she received a phone call from police on Monday, telling her of his death.
Detectives are still investigating the events that led to the discovery of the body, near North Parade, shortly after 4pm.
Mrs Mansell was told that his body was decomposed and that it had been identified through his finger prints.
She said: "At the end of the day I just hope that he didn't suffer."
Mrs Mansell, 40, of Sinfin, remembers her brother as a talented musician who loved to listen to and play music.
She said: "Most of our childhood was spent living in Caxton Street, in Derby.
"We used to get on really well as children."
Hazel and Andrew lived with their older brother, Stephen, and their older sister, Dawn, with their parents Doreen and Ken Lowe.
She said a defect at birth had caused his brain to be starved of oxygen.
As a result, he had learning difficulties and required support at school at a young age.
This led to him attending St Claire's School in Mickleover– a purpose-built school for 11- to 16-year-olds with special educational needs.
"When he started going to St Claire's he surprised us all with his exceptional musical talents," Hazel said.
"He was playing piano at school and he got so good that someone would play him something and he could play it straight back.
"It was amazing because he couldn't actually read the music. He was very gifted."
Hazel watched him develop into a keen piano player, without any private tutoring.
As he grew older he learned how to read music and then taught himself to play the guitar.
Hazel said this proved to be the one passion Andrew had in his life, as he struggled to make his mark in the working world.
"Because of his learning difficulties he couldn't get a job," Hazel said. "I remember him trying something once, but he only lasted a day or two."
The family had been religious when they were young, with Hazel and Andrew both baptised.
Although he could not work, he was able to apply his musical talents to give back to the church.
She said: "He used to play the piano at church.
"He really enjoyed it and it was purely voluntary.
"He played the piano and then upgraded to the organ for the Brunswick Street Gospel Choir and Newmount Methodist Church, in Littleover."
Andrew's musical exploits did not end there, as he played guitar and keyboard in the band 11th Hour for at least a decade. As they grew older, Andrew and Hazel drifted apart, due to them leading different lives and to family issues.
The last time they saw each other was at mum Doreen's funeral in May this year.
That day was also the last time he saw Emma Oakley, his niece.
Emma – daughter of Dawn – had seen Andrew at the wake after the service and said that her uncle had taken the death of his mother particularly badly.
The 34-year-old, of Abbey Road, Derby, said: "He loved her very much.
"She was his golden boy and he really took her death badly."
Mrs Mansell said the family had become disjointed by this point, with her and Emma rarely seeing Andrew.
She said he was living in Alvaston with a girlfriend last year.
That was the last place Emma knew where her uncle lived, but they did not know where he was sleeping at the time of his death.
"He was living in Alvaston and he was quite settled," Emma added.
"But that was last year so I don't know if he was still living there recently."
Mrs Mansell said she was aware her late brother had spent a short spell in prison earlier this year but she was unaware of the offence for which he was jailed.
She said: "We know Andrew had issues with alcohol but he did take steps to try and face them."
Police are still investigating the circumstances behind how Andrew came to be in the river and the results of a post mortem examination are due to be revealed this week.
Mrs Mansell said: "My early childhood memories of my brother are brilliant.
"He might have had his faults but at the end of the day he was a good person."
She added that she had been told an inquest into his death will be opened by the coroner in the next few days.
