TRIBUTES have been paid to an alcoholic whose battle against the booze was charted on TV reality show Jaywick: Benefits By The Sea.

Gary ‘Gaz’ Barnes was a key character in the controversial Channel 5 series.

Viewers saw the intense battle Gaz had with alcohol and in this week’s episode cameras followed him as he recovered from a serious epileptic seizure which left him in hospital.

Tragically, after being discharged from hospital and despite desperate attempts to give up booze for good, he suffered another epileptic fit and was found dead.

His brother John has been seen repeatedly over the series trying to help his beloved brother get his life back on track.

He said: “Watching the programme I know we couldn’t have done any more for Gaz.”

John’s fiancée, Chantelle, had also urged Gaz to keep off the drink before his death.

She said: “I still want him to be here. I don’t want him to disappear. I don’t want to say goodbye. I just want to see him again to see him one last time, and be able to say goodbye.”

The family wants Gary’s story to be told and has given permission for the producers to continue filming to make people aware of the problems alcoholics face.

Chantelle is passionate about raising awareness through Gaz’s death.

“If Gaz was able to have gone into rehab he may have been here now,” she said.

“There should be more help for alcoholics.”

During filming, Gaz visited a residential rehabilitation centre in Oxford. It urges alcoholics never to return to the place they lived when they were drinking, which would have meant Gaz leaving Jaywick – a community he was enormously attached to.

He was still considering his options when he died last month.

Daniela Neumann, of Spun Gold which makes Benefits By The Sea, said: “Gaz’s story has been one that we’ve followed for two series now and it’s tragic he lost his battle with alcoholism.

“The support that his family gave him, and in turn the community, is truly heart-warming. Jaywick is a place with a true sense of community where people look out for each other.”

The close-knit community came together for his funeral in moving scenes which will be shown later in the series.

Jaywick resident Boo said: “We’re a really close community who help each other through thick and thin. It’s really sad about Gaz but I’m so proud of our community and how we pull together at times like this.

“I’ve been off alcohol for nearly eight years thanks to the support of the people in this community and I’m just so sad that Gaz wasn’t able to do the same.”