TRIBUTES have been paid to a football-loving man with many friends.

This week, the body of Pavel Zukowski was removed from the River Severn at Shrawley near Worcester.

Since then, friends have been paying tribute to their friend. Ondřej Jagnešák was a friend of the 29 year-old who hailed from the Czech Republic, and said he was a fan of football and well-liked by everyone.

He said: “He was nice to people and his life was full of fun and football.

“His favourite club was AC Milan and his favourite player was Andrei Shevchenko.

“Lots of people love him. He loved Czech beer.”

Mr Zukowski first came to the UK about six years ago and was originally from the town of Havlov in the Czech Republic.

He had been working on a farm near Great Witley, and was described as the best picker in the job.

Mr Jagnešák added: “He worked on the field and was a really good picker of beans. The best picker.”

He also reportedly had a brother in Worcester. The body of Mr Zukowski, who went missing while on his way home on September 16, was spotted by a passer-by on Friday, September 26.

A West Mercia Police spokesman said officers “strongly believe” the body was that of Mr Zukowski, saying they were in touch with his family.

The spokesman added his death is not being treated as suspicious. Police had launched their initial appeal to find Mr Zukowski on September 19, releasing video footage of him walking along the River Severn.

Specialist search teams were sent out to try and find him, with police stating they believed he was ‘high risk.’ It is believed he walked along the A443 towards his home in Drakes Broughton.

Another of Mr Zukowski’s friends, who did not wish to be named, said she worked with him, describing him as a family man and a “nice guy.”

She added after the search had drawn a blank “it had become difficult not knowing what to do”, leading friends to put up posters around Worcester to try and find him.