A COMMUNITY has united in grief after a gentle giant from Barrow was "robbed of his life". 

The Ormsgill estate remains in a state of shock following the alleged murder of Guy Hamilton. Friends have spoken of a "much-loved character" who was known as the caretaker of Ormsgill because of his caring and compassionate nature. 

Describing herself as his adopted mother, Bree Richards struggled to hold back the tears as she spoke of her love for the 35-year-old, who died after being found in the street with serious injuries at around 10pm on Saturday. 

"I think of him as my son – he called me his second mum," Mrs Richards, of High Cliff, said. 

A keen poet, Mr Hamilton was known for his fascination with the spiritual world and would sign off every conversation with "Peace, love and happiness". Mrs Richards described him as someone who "made it his purpose in life to help anybody and everybody". 

"He loved Ormsgill, he was like the caretaker," she added. 

"He was always going round making sure all the kids were all right. He was a real character. 

"Everyone in Ormsgill knew him, he would go out of his way to go and help people who couldn't do things for themselves. He helped everybody."

Mrs Richards's niece, Lisa Walker, became friends with Mr Hamilton through their shared taste in music. 

She said: "I was out the front sunbathing, and I had Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here blaring out. Guy walked past with his dog, Floyd, and said how he was named after Pink Floyd. He later changed the dog's name to Freud. 

"Guy did the Keswick to Barrow last year and he walked around for weeks afterwards wearing his medal, he was so proud of what he had achieved. He was going to do it again this year too.

"He loved everybody here, and everyone loved him, he looked after this estate. He's been robbed of his life."

Mr Hamilton, whose father David died in Egypt in November, had recently been reunited with his estranged six-year-old son. The pair had been getting to know each other through a series of letters. 

"Guy has had a hard life, he had his demons but he overcame all of that and he was turning his life into something positive," Mrs Richards said proudly. 

A candlelit vigil was last night held outside the shops in Middlefield, where Mr Hamilton was often seen. He used to live in the flat above the post office before he moved to Meetings View. 

"We want to show, as a community, that we loved him as much as he loved us," Mrs Richards added. "He was loved by everyone; everybody loved Guy."

A 44-year-old man from Barrow was arrested on Saturday night on suspicion of the murder of Mr Hamilton. Magistrates on Monday granted detectives a further 24 hours to question the suspect, with the custody limit due to expire at around 1pm Tuesday before he must be released or charged. 

Fool's Gold, a poem by Guy Hamilton

An empty shell of tender crust;

A flame that burns herself to dust;

The passion hides within those eyes;

a face to mask those empty lies.

A golden body carved with pain;

Lips that never ease the shame;

A terrible beauty, a woman is she;

Who sings the siren to the sea.

Forbidden fruit, fool's gold; 

Secrets never told. 

A woman if ever that she be, will live on as a memory.