Leeds Beckett student with ‘beaming smile’ died after being stabbed on holiday

Danny’s family have said he lit up any room he went in to


A Leeds Beckett student tragically died after being stabbed whilst in Amsterdam on holiday.

22-year-old Danny Castledine was a keen traveller and was on holiday in Amsterdam this summer. He died shortly after being stabbed in the neck on June 1st.

On the same day, a 22-year-old Belgian man was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Danny’s family have described him as having a “beaming smile” and the “life and soul of a party”, lighting up any room he went in to.

He was in his final year at Leeds Beckett, studying events management. He also had a passion for travel and had visited 23 counties.

His parents, Alison and Paul, and his sister Chloe have said that one of Danny’s last trips was to Costa Rica in April, where he saw sloths. They told Nottinghamshire Live: “Danny had a long list of places that he wanted to visit in the future. One of those was to the Bahamas to swim with pigs. His ambition was to work on and promote music festivals as a career, and probably live abroad.”

They said Danny had a “huge circle of friends” and used to call everyone “duck”.

His family said: “When back at home in Mansfield, he would be out with his schooldays friends, and fitting in shifts at McDonalds to fund his extravagant lifestyle. He also had a major passion for fashion, and thought nothing of spending large on designer gear, from t-shirts to trainers.

“A lot of the items would be particularly ‘out there’, and some of his uni friends would conduct a ‘drip check’ on his outfit before going out. He also loved going to music festivals in the UK and abroad with his mates.”

His family have raised almost £15,000 on GoFundMe for charity, where they say the funds will go towards tackling knife crime.

Danny’s sister Chloe has also set up a clothing site called Drippy Like Danny, where 10 per cent of all sales are donated to the Ben Kinsella Trust, an anti knife crime charity. On the website she writes: “Danny was a huge lover of designer fashion, and so I thought a clothing line was a great way for Danny to be remembered through one of his passions.”

It says: “Every room Danny walked into lit up like it was on fire. He will be remembered for his beaming smile, and the ability to fill every person he met with same carefree happiness he carried with him on every endeavour of his life.

“Danny was a huge lover of fashion, and whilst his friends and family found some of his outfits rather questionable, nothing could stop Danny wearing what he wanted, as he wore them with something else money simply cannot buy, confidence. Every outfit, no matter how outrageous, Danny made it so effortlessly cool, by not caring what anyone else thought, and because he loved it, so did everyone.”

On the Drippy Like Danny website’s page which explains more about Danny, Chloe details how he was a fan of football, loved his dog Lola, was the “life and soul of a party”, and talks about the times they spent together. “Danny was always my biggest supporter, and his infectious laugh and exuberant personality got me through my biggest struggles.

“He left such a huge impact on me and inspired me in ways he would never have even realised. I will miss him forever.”

If you or someone you know has been affected by this story, please speak to someone or contact Samaritans on 116 123 at any time. You can also contact Anxiety UK on 03444 775 774, Mind on 0300 123 3393, and Calm (Campaign against living miserably) on 0800 58 58 58. 

Featured image via Facebook