TRIBUTES have flooded in for a “loving” father who has sadly died.

Peter Cross, 52, of Stapler’s Heath, Great Totham, died St Helena's Hospice in Colchester.

Mr Cross had been diagnosed with a brain tumour in November 2016.

The doctors at Queen’s Hospital in Romford gave him 12 to 14 months to live, but he managed to live for even longer.

Over the next year, many fundraisers were held for Peter to raise money for an extension to be built at his home so he could live out his final months at home with his family.

This included a football match being held in Colchester which raised more than £750.

In autumn last year, after wife Nicola, 41, and children Amie, 14 and James, 11 made a plea for volunteers, funds and materials to get the extension built, tradesman Chris Whittle, based in Chelmsford, took up the challenge of getting the entire extension complete by December 22.

Thanks to a huge effort from Chris, his team and the community, the extension was finished just before Christmas Day.

Nicola paid tribute to her husband as a man “who fought to the end”.

She said: “This was a very sad day for us all. We all knew it would be coming around sooner or later, but I’ve now lost a wonderful husband, and my kids a loving father.

“He was a brilliant, caring and gentle man who loved us all dearly.

“The greatest thing about him was he fought until the end. He was only given about a year to live, but he managed to live past that.

"We'd like to say a huge thank you to all who helped in any way to get Peter's extension finished, it meant the world to us."

A number of Peter’s friends have paid tribute to him.

Claire Wimpress said: “Pete was always smiling, loved a beer with friends and was a fighter to the end that never gave up.”

Dan Payne said: “Pete was the man with the smile, he was always smiling and had time for others even when time for him was short, he always put others first that’s why he got so much help when he needed it.

Lisa Gardiner said: “To meet Pete it would be evident very quickly that he was a genuine and motivated man – driven by the love he had for his family, to meet Nicki and the children you’d see why.

“He was loyal, unstoppable in his positivity and would help anyone he could. He had a good sense of humour and didn’t take life too seriously. Genuine, hard working well fed.”

Paul Miles said: “Both Pete and Nicki supported me and my family for many years and in many ways, we would spend every possible weekend at Pete's as we were treated as part of his family not just friends.

“I and Pete have become very close over the last thirteen years even though we didn't have contact seven days a week we still both knew what we had was very special.

“Over the last 16 months I have seen a very close man in my life lose part of his persona every other week but never lost his sense of humour up until his last breaths.

“Now he has past I feel like I have lost more than just a friend and will miss his character, Personality, Humour and all the love and good times we had.

"No one ever really dies as long as they took the time to leave us with fond memories.”

Chris Whittle, who finished Peter’s extension, said: “Peter was very much a family man, he would stick his head out for anyone.

“He was a great guy and a fighter right until the end, even though he lost the battle.

“When we were working on his house he would speak to us the whole time, was very friendly and funny.”

Peter’s funeral will be held on Tuesday March 20 at 12.30pm at St Luke’s Church in Tiptree. All are welcome.

His family have also set up a fundraising page for the Brain Tumour Charity in honour of his memory.

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nicola-cross5.