The dad of five-year-old Dylan Scanlon, who died in Oldham on New Year's Eve, has paid a heartfelt tribute to a 'happy, funny and cheeky little boy'. 

At around 6.20pm on Friday 31 December 2021, police were called by the ambulance service responding to an incident at a house on Elm Road in the Limeside area.

Dylan was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Greater Manchester Police say the investigation into the circumstances surrounding and the cause of his death is ongoing.

A woman in her 30s has been detained under the Mental Health Act.

The incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, a GMP spokesperson has said. 

In a statement, Dylan's dad Gary Keenan said: "Dylan was my best mate. He was a happy, funny and cheeky little boy, who was full of excitement - especially about doing new things. 

"Dylan loved going to school, playing with his friends and dogs and going for drives with me to parks and lakes. He loved being at the lake but not walking around it - he was there for the ice cream, a ride on daddy's shoulders and a McDonald's on the way home. His favourite times of year were Christmas and his birthday - he knew he'd be spoiled.

"I've been looking through memories on my phone - videos of him crawling and learning how to walk. I will always remember his face when I got home from work - he was always happy to see me and I loved spending any time with him that I could.

"Dylan will be sadly missed by all family and friends, especially his brother, who he loved and absolutely adored. I loved watching them playing with each other, looking after each other and just doing what brothers do. 

"On behalf of my family, I ask people to respect our privacy." 

Anyone with information about the incident should contact police on 0161 856 1995, quoting 2284 31/12/21, or alternatively the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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