Family and friends have paid tributes to a popular scaffolder who died in a crash on the A66.

Keith Moore, 42, of Egremont, was travelling home after an early finish from his job with Keswick Scaffolding Services Ltd when the three-car collision happened around lunchtime on Friday.

His boss said he had been keen to complete his work early so he could get back and hand out Easter eggs to the youngsters in his family.

In a statement, his family said: “Keith, who many people knew as Big Bear, partner to Michelle and dad to Jack, Ellie and Danielle, was cheeky and funny and someone who liked to play jokes on people.

“He was really loveable and you could never fail to love him.

“He always put everyone before himself and was a real role model to others.

“He liked fishing and hunting and loved the outdoors. He also loved his job and loved being with the lads.”

A scaffolder who had worked for firm across West Cumbria, Mr Moore had spent the last year and four months at the Keswick firm and would step in as manager whenever owner Robert Nelson was away.

Mr Nelson said: “He was a real character. He loved banter. There was no malice in him.

“He’s a legend in the scaffolding world. If there was a stereotypical scaffolder he was it.

“There were two lads in his team and he was like a father figure to them rather than a chargehand. There’s a huge gap in the business now.”

Mr Nelson added that the firm would provide whatever support it could to Mr Moore’s family.

Mr Moore had previously been a door supervisor who worked at venues across West Cumbria, including at Whitehaven, Workington and Cockermouth for One To One (Cumbrian Security) Ltd, run by Jon Hogg and Kevin Sanders.

Mr Hogg said: “He was funny, outgoing, and always playing practical jokes. He was hard to take seriously sometimes.

“He was always cheerful and lifted everybody’s mood.

“He’ll be sadly missed.”

Chris Poole, co-owner of Padua’s bar in Workington, said he had known Mr Moore for many years through his own work as a DJ, and the popular bouncer had come to work at the nightspot when Mr Poole and his daughter took it over seven years ago.

He said: “He was a decent guy. He was a character and he used to look after people. I always got on well with him. It was a sad day when I heard.

“He’s going to be sadly missed by a lot of people. He’s worked in most of the places in Whitehaven. He was well known and well liked.

“He’ll always be remembered in all the places he worked.”

It is understood that Mr Moore was originally from Lowca.

An appeal was launched on Saturday to raise money towards his funeral. By yesterday, £3,235 had been donated.

Three other people were taken to hospital after the crash, two of them by air ambulance.

A nine-year-old boy was discharged on Saturday.

An 18-year-old man from West Cumbria who was flown to Preston Royal Infirmary and a 56-year-old woman, from Cheshire, were said by police to be in a stable condition with serious injuries.

To donate to the crowdfunding appeal, visit www.gofundme.com/keith-moore039s-funeral

Witnesses to the crash are asked to call police on 101.