NEIGHBOURS have paid tribute to a man named locally as Richard Hiles who was killed after a gas leak in a family home near Hurst yesterday.

Mr Hiles died in the early hours of this morning after being raced to Royal Berkshire Hospital with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

He was found by a woman and a child, believed to be of the same family, alongside a woman, believed to be his wife.

One neighbour, who chose not to be named, said: "News of this tragic situation has been a great shock to everyone, particularly as they have been pleasant, quiet and unassuming neighbours.

"We can only imagine how the family are feeling at this time and our hearts go out to them.

"It's a desperately sad reminder that carbon monoxide can be the silent killer without any warning at all.

"Many people will now think to install carbon monoxide detectors as well as smoke alarms in their premises and homes.

"Hopefully this will avoid a repeat of this very sad event."

Emergency services rushed to the property in Broadwater Lane, Whistley Green, shortly before 8am yesterday.

A cordon was set up around the thatched-roof home and nearby roads were temporarily closed by Thames Valley Police.

A police spokesman said they cannot confirm the cause of the leak, but a full investigation is under way.

The spokesman said: "We were called to a property in Lodge Road at 8.05am yesterday by the ambulance service.

"Two people, a man and a woman, were taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

"Sadly the man, who is aged 60, died in the early hours of this morning.

"The woman who is aged in her sixties remains in hospital in a stable condition.

"A second woman and a child who were also taken to hospital as a precaution have been discharged. The investigation is ongoing but the death is not being treated as suspicious."

Another neighbour, who also chose not to be named, added: "It's awful. He would always wave.

"I think he was a builder."

Specialist fire officers were also dispatched as soon as it was established that it was a chemical incident.

A cleaning vehicle and a PSCO car can be seen outside the property today [Friday January 29].

British Gas and the Health and Safety Executive will be attending the property to carry out an assessment.

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