TRIBUTES have been paid to a Newton Abbot businessman who died earlier this week aged just 35.

South Devon coroner Ian Arrow has been informed of the death of Alistair Finch who was a director of several local companies.

Mr Finch, who died on Sunday, ran the Newton Electric Light Company which has premises in the town’s Queen Street.

He also had interests in Just Fishing Brixham Ltd, WJF Property Ltd, Devon Electrical Wholesalers and Finch Electrical Contractors.

Friends and family have paid a string of tributes to Mr Finch on social media.

One described him as a ‘kind, gentle man who had become a firm friend. A section of my life has a hole in it now.’

A police spokesman revealed that emergency services attended an address in Oakland Road on Sunday afternoon after reports were received of a man being discovered unconscious in the property.

?‘The 35-year-old man was pronounced deceased at the scene and police are not treating this death as suspicious,’ said the spokesman.?

He confirmed a file was being prepared for HM Coroner.

An opening inquest is expected to open within the next few days to take formal evidence of identity.