"HE could charm the birds from the trees and had eyes that lit up the room." Those are the words of a grieving sister who has been paying tribute to Ian Appleton, the victim of a house fire.

Maureen Bonati said the family is still raw following the tragedy which claimed the life of the well-known 51-year-old.

It is believed a cigarette which wasn't properly stubbed out was the cause of the fire at his home on Lingmell Avenue in Clinkham Wood.

Maureen said: "We are utterly grief stricken. He was a huge part of all our lives. Ian was a loving and much loved family man. Despite being single he was the centre of family meals and every celebration. He had five great nieces and nephews, aunties, uncles and cousins.

"Ian was moving, affectionate, funny, caring and full of empathy. He could relate to any age group – from those in their 80s to toddlers."

She said Ian was proud of his Celtic and Irish heritage and was related to the Creevy brothers who played for Saints in the early 1900s.

Maureen, aged 64 and from Eccleston, added: "He was incredibly proud of that and was a massive Saints fan. Ian loved an audience and was always telling stories most of which were comical."

Maureen said Ian was an avid reader particularly of Terry Pratchett, Oscar Wilde and JRR Tolkien and would often chat with her about Shakespeare's Henry V. She said that Ian, who used to be a bass player in the St Helens band MSP, was close to her son and his circle of friends.

"They all went to the Challenge Cup final. They jokingly called him uncle Ian. But he was always a shoulder to cry on. Their devastation is huge. We have had a lot of messages from them. He should have gone to Wembley at the weekend to watch the New York Jets.

"His friends went and took a picture of him. They took photos of Ian's photo reading the sat nav, buying the drinks and they even had a large photo of him on his seat. They just wanted to take him with them. Ian would have loved that. It showed real humanity. They had real affection for him.

"We have also had tributes from the USA, New Zealand, China and France. From far flung places to close neighbours the devastation at his early passing is absolute. The one thing that everyone keeps telling us is that he was such a lovely lad.

"He was a friend to those that needed one and has left a huge hole in many people's lives."

Ian worked for United Utilities for 12 years and was a waste water performance technician. Maureen said more than 100 of his colleagues are expected at his funeral at St Patrick's Church in Clinkham Wood on Friday, October 9 at 11am.