‘I need to find out what he was running from’

The father of a young man found dead in the Floating Harbour at the weekend has described his disbelief at the circumstances as he stepped up an appeal to find out what exactly happened.

Scott Rooney, 22, from Winford, near Bristol Airport, was seen in the water by Aqua restaurant on Welsh Back in the early hours of Saturday morning and his body was not recovered by police divers until about 12 hours later.

Father Steve (pictured above left) says police have reason to believe his son may have been running shortly before he came to be in the water.

“I need to find out what Scott was running from or where he was running to,” he told Bristol24/7. “I know for a fact he would never intentionally run towards the water, he was terrified of it,” he added.

Police have traced part of Scott’s final moments after he left a friend’s house in St Paul’s at about 11.30pm. But they say they are still reviewing CCTV of the area.

Father Steve said it was likely his son was heading to catch the Airport Flyer towards his home when he somehow came to be in the water and subsequently drowned.

“It is bizarre more than anything. I can’t square it in my head. I know he wouldn’t have gone near the water if he could avoid it. But he was also fit as a fiddle and he would have had no trouble getting out.

“What would stop him from just turning round and swimming out, I just don’t know?”

Scott was living with his father and mother, Sue. He worked for Dr Jackson’s cosmetics company based in Spike Island. He previously worked as a bartender at the Cider Press on Gloucester Road. He was believed to be with ex-colleagues before he died.

“He was a happy go lucky lad,” Steve said. “He was a real good laugh. Everybody that knew him just adored the boy.” He said the family were “heart-broken” and still in “terrible shock”.

Scott previously lived in Yateley in Hampshire, where he played for Yately Pumas FC. Friends there are planning a memorial football match.

Mike Gray, chairman of Yateley United Youth Football Club, said: “Everyone who knew Scott was shocked and saddened at the news of his tragic death,” said Mr Gray.

“He was an intelligent, likeable young man and a talented footballer. He had many friends in Yateley who will remember him with great fondness.

Father Steve has began a poster campaign and will be revisiting the spot where his son was found this Saturday, around the time of his death.

He added that Scott had grown a beard since the last pictures were taken of him.

Police are asking witnesses to come forward and contact them on the non-emergency number 101. They said they are not treating the death as suspicious.

Main picture: Scott’s father Steve Rooney, left, with friend Wil Reynolds