Tributes have been paid to a ‘gentle giant’ who was killed when a tree fell on his caravan during Storm Goretti.
James Southey, 50, who lived on farmland in Mawgan, west Cornwall, was described as a ‘kind family man’.
He died on Thursday evening when storm-force winds hit the region. Despite officers working through Friday to safely remove the tree from the mobile home, Mr Southey was found dead at the scene.
The tragedy unfolded when Cornwall was being battered by Storm Goretti with gusts of up to 100mph, and almost 70,000 homes being left without power.
Residents on a tidal island near Cornwall also had nearly 80 trees brought down by Friday morning.
His sister Sam said he was a ‘gentle giant who would do anything for anyone’.
James Southey, 50, who lived on farmland in Mawgan, west Cornwall, was described as a ‘kind family man’
She posted on social media: ‘Absolutely devastated to share the tragic news of the death of my brother James. We are all in shock and struggling to come to terms with this very sad news.
‘Never in a million years do you expect that knock on the door to be for you. He was a gentle giant who would do anything for anyone, we will miss him dearly.’
Friend Caroline Blatter said: ‘So sad to hear this, utterly gutted. James was such a gentle kind family man with a lot of love to share. How missed he will be.’
Other friends said he was the ‘kindest and sweetest soul’ and a ‘true gentle giant taken too soon’.
An inquest will be opened into his death. Police said there were no suspicious circumstances.