Last updated at 16:38, Wednesday, 18 July 2012

BARROW father-of-one Paul Thomson will be laid to rest at a funeral next week as tributes continue to pour in for the tragic 38-year-old.

• Related article: Family pay tribute to devoted Barrow father

Paul Thomson

Mr Thomson’s funeral will be held at the Barrow Crematorium in Devonshire Road on July 26 from 1pm.

The arrangements were made yesterday as family and friends struggle to come to terms with the Parker Street resident’s shock death.

The devoted father of Erin Louise, 11, was camping on Piel Island on Saturday when it is believed he tried to walk back towards Barrow and got into difficulty.

Emergency services were notified of his disappearance about 12.30am and a search found his body on the western side of Walney Channel at Snab Sands about 2.30pm.

Mr Thomson’s grieving brother Wayne McQuistan, 31, said he never realised just how many lives his outgoing elder sibling had touched.

“He was my big brother and also my best friend,” he said.

“There was never a dull moment whenever he was around – always ready with a joke and his incredible wit. I always knew he was popular, but I’m sorry it took something as tragic as this to realise the huge amount of people who knew him.

“He will never be forgotten and I will be thinking of him every day.”

Mr Thomson worked at McBride’s in Barrow and the company’s human resources director Malcolm Allan said the entire workforce was mourning their colleague’s passing.

“All of us at McBride’s have been deeply shocked and saddened at the news about Paul’s tragic accident,” he said.

“Paul has been working with us since September 2010, but had worked for us in a previous spell for 14 years and he was thus very well-known and universally liked and respected.

“There is a strong team spirit at the plants and the tragedy is felt all the more for that.

“Paul also has relatives working with us and our thoughts are with all his family.”

Mr Thomson’s uncle, Ian Thomson, called the Evening Mail from his home in Germany to reiterate the family’s gratitude to the search and rescue team members and pay tribute to his “extra special” nephew. For everyone who knew Paul there will be something missing now,” he said. “He’ll always be in our hearts.”

Mr Thomson’s death has been referred to the coroner.

First published at 16:12, Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Published by http://www.walneylocal.co.uk