The youth of Falmouth were in mourning this week following the sudden death of a popular bar worker described as “a true star.”

Former Falmouth School pupil Daniel Cudd was found hanged in a house in Helston by a friend in the early hours of last Thursday, confirmed a police spokesman yesterday. Some of his many distraught friends have left tributes to Daniel on the social networking website Facebook, with one girl describing him as “one of the nicest guys you could ever meet.”

Another said 23-year-old Daniel was “a genuine, nice bloke with a heart of gold.”

A Facebook group has been set up in tribute to Daniel, known by some of his friends as “Dan the man,” with its creator encouraging people to share their stories, photos and videos of the man described as “the life and soul of the party.”

Daniel lived at home with his mother Teresa and younger sister Rachel, aged 20 in Old Hill Crescent. He had a partner, John. Ms Cudd said: “He was loved by all that knew him. He just loved life.”

She said that Daniel, who attended the former Beacon Junior and Infants School (now Falmouth Primary) and Falmouth School before starting courses in media at Bristol University and then Plymouth University, had “too many friends to count.”

One of his favourite places to go out in Falmouth was the Waterman’s pub, where he was well known.

Ms Cudd described her son as a “shopaholic” who loved clothes – he was often seen in a waistcoat – and a “party animal” who was a huge Britney Spears fan and held Eurovision parties in the front room of her house. “I’ve come in here and they’ve had lights streaming around and Union Jack flags up!” she said.

Daniel worked behind the bar at the JD Wetherspoon’s pub on The Moor in Falmouth. Sally Grimshaw, duty manager at the Packet Station, described Daniel as “a fantastic, amazing guy.” She said: “He was loved by all his friends and family. He was a great friend to everybody who worked at Wetherspoons.”

She said Daniel had worked on and off at the Packet Station for around two and a half years, latterly working there full time. He had recently become team leader in the bar area. Last Wednesday Daniel had the day off work and went to visit friends in Helston, spending the evening at Trelawney’s nightclub.

In the early hours of Thursday morning he was found dead, at a property in Bulwark Road.

Ms Cudd said she believed Daniel had died accidentally. “There’s no way he would have done it deliberately. I just can’t get to grips with it,” she added. She said Daniel had been sending texts to friends on his mobile phone during the evening and appeared in a good mood.

A date has not been set for his funeral, but it is expected to take place at the Penmount Cremat-orium in Truro. Ms Cudd said all Daniel’s friends were welcome to attend and asked them to wear their normal clothes rather than black. She advised people to contact funeral director Kingsley Tresidder for more details.

n A second youngster was found dead in Falmouth on Saturday. A police spokesman said 21-year-old Roger Irons was found at 3am, hanged in Chestnut Close. He was taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro but was pronounced dead on arrival, at 4.15am.

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and the coroner has been informed, the spokesman said. The spokesman added that there was no indication that the deaths of Daniel Cudd and Roger Irons were connected.

Readers can leave a tribute to Daniel Cudd or Roger Irons at thepacket.co.uk.