Tributes have been paid today to a popular Silsden man who fell to his death while working on air-conditioning equipment at an Iceland supermarket.

Father and family man Tony Hopkins died at Rotherham District General Hospital from injuries following the fall at the town’s Sycamore Road store on Monday.

This afternoon, former landlord of the Robin Hood pub, Silsden, Paul Thompson, described 58-year-old Mr Hopkins as the “heart and soul” of any social event.

“I’ve known Tony since he moved to the village with his partner and their two children about eight years ago.

“He was one of the nicest, funniest men you could ever meet.

“Nothing got him down, he was always full of jokes and laughs,” said Mr Thompson, who finished running the pub on Monday.

He said maintenance sub-contractor Mr Hopkins, his wife Sue and two sons lived in the Bolton Road area of Silsden.

“Tony moved into the village and became the heart and soul of it.

“He loved to socialise and was a proper regular at the Robin Hood,” Mr Thompson said.

“Apart from socialising, his other passion was rugby league and especially supporting his home team of St Helens.

“Everyone who knew Tony thought he was great and naturally we’re all terribly upset by what’s happened.”

It is understood Mr Hopkins was fatally injured while carrying out work in a storage area of the premises away from anywhere open to the public.

A spokesman for Iceland said its thoughts were with Mr Hopkins’ family and friends.

An investigation has now been set up by Rotherham Borough Council’s environmental health officers Doncaster Assistant Coroner Raymond Curtis opened an inquest into Mr Hopkins’ death today, which was adjourned until a pre-inquest review on February 19 next year.