The family of a Canvey man dragged to his death by a tube train today spoke of him being loving, popular, and happy-go-lucky.

Luke Griffiths, 25, was gesturing to friends at Chalk Farm Underground station when he was dragged off the platform by the train.

An inquest, held in London, confirmed Luke's death - last December - had been an accident. The verdict removed unpleasant rumours that he had tried to "surf" on the train when he died.

Luke, who spent nearly half his life living in Canvey, had met three friends he had travelled with in Australia for a drink on the day he died.

The day's social occasion was typical of Luke - known as Choccy to his friends - according to his older brother Matt, 32.

Matt said: "He was a bit of a lad, but he was a lovely lad. He loved his football and his rugby and his drinking.

"He was always going away for weekends to Amsterdam or Dublin or somewhere with his friends."

Luke and Matt had worked together for Supremoglaze for a year leading up to the tragic accident, and had become very close.

Mother Val Hulbert, said her youngest son had a wide social circle and would speak to anyone.

She said: "He was my baby. Everybody was absolutely devastated when he died because he had everything going for him.

"He had been away travelling and had started working with his brother. He was just settling down when this happened."

Val brought her sons up in Canvey until Luke - born in Rochford Hospital - was ten. The family then moved to Maidenhead. Luke moved back to Canvey when he returned from backpacking in November 2001.

Published Monday, June 16, 2003

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