Friends have paid tribute to a ’husband, father, brother and best mate’ who has died after contracting the Coronavirus.

Phil Champion, 68, was a well-loved and active member of the community in the village of Tywardreath, said his friend Judith Sweet.

’The Coronavirus has got real in Cornwall,’ she said.

’This lovely man, Phil Champion, who was a husband, father, grandfather ,brother, best mate ,and all round good egg, died of the coronavirus on March 21. He lived down the road in Tywardreath and was a well loved active member of the community. I worked with his wife Viv in Lloyds Bank for several years - our thoughts and prayers are with her and his family at this shocking time.

’Please, please, please stay in as much as you can, and if you have to go out, please observe the social distancing to make sure that we don’t lose any more.’