FAMILY and friends have spoken of their shock and sadness after a man “who would do anything for anybody” died suddenly on Boxing Day.Tributes have been paid to father-of-three Chris Jones, 41, known as “Pod”, who died at his home in Theberton, Leiston, after suffering a blood clot.

FAMILY and friends have spoken of their shock and sadness after a man “who would do anything for anybody” died suddenly on Boxing Day.

Tributes have been paid to father-of-three Chris Jones, 41, known as “Pod”, who died at his home in Theberton, Leiston, after suffering a blood clot.

After having a wonderful Christmas with their three sons Lee, 18, Ben, 16, and Josh, 10, his wife Helen woke up the next morning to find her husband had died.

Paying tribute, Mrs Jones, who had been married to Chris for 18 years, said: “He was so helpful and would do anything for anybody and would never ask for anything in return.

“From his younger days people will remember him as wild because he was always taking cars and motorbikes apart and putting them back together. But as he got older he would help anyone.”

Mr Jones worked at Sizewell B as a scaffold planner having worked at the power plant since it was constructed in the late 1980s.

He initially started out with his own business as a window cleaner before working as a farmhand and then going to Sizewell B.

Mr Jones was also on the Theberton and Eastbridge Parish Council, a joint caretaker of the village hall with his wife, a civilian instructor with the Leiston Air Cadets and a member of Thorpeness Flying Club.

Mrs Jones said: “He loved his flying and especially always loved the thought of helicopters so he got enough money together to get one and did all the training for it.

“He also knew his computers backwards and everyone relied on him for their computer questions.”

His life-long friend, Mark Kenward, who had known Mr Jones since he was eight years old, said his death had come as an horrific shock.

“Anything you ever wanted he would help you and if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be on computers now,” he added.

Mr Jones was said to be well-known both in his hometown Leiston, where his parents Jimmy and June still live, and in Theberton.

The funeral will be held at St Margaret's Church, Leiston, on Thursday, January 4, at 11am.

Donations from his funeral will be split between Leiston Air Training Corps and the Meningitis Trust.