TRIBUTES have been paid to a “kind and quiet” Range employee who died just hours after posing for a picture with Calum Best at the County Ground.

Stephen Langton, from Wroughton, died on Saturday afternoon from a suspected cardiac arrest.

The 49-year-old was a familiar face to shoppers at the store in Fleming Way, Swindon, where he had worked part-time for eight years.

Stephen was born and raised in Burbage where he grew up with parents Anne and David. He soon demonstrated an aptitude for customer service roles with his first job being as a customer assistant at the NAAFI shop in Tidworth.

His grieving younger brother Andrew, 46, said the pair shared a close bond throughout their lives, which was strengthened through their mutual passion for Swindon Town Football Club.

On Friday loyal Robins fan Stephen had been at his beloved County Ground watching the celebrity soccer event where he met reality star Calum Best.

“He was a quiet and kind gentleman, he kept things to himself and he was very generous. No-one had a bad word to say about him. I looked out for him and he looked up to me," said Andrew.

“I got him involved in Swindon Town which he loved and he went to see them when they played at Wembley last year He also liked Formula One, whenever that was on TV I would text him.

“I’ll miss him so much, we were close as brothers and we saw each other when we can. We would try and pop down for roast dinners every fortnight to catch up.”

Stephen moved to Wroughton in the early 2000s with mum Anne and was also a loving uncle to nephew David, 13.

“He loved being an uncle and all it entails and I know that David loved spending time with his uncle,” said Andrew.

In his spare time Stephen, who had recently celebrated his 49th birthday on April 19, enjoyed going for dinner and to bingo.

Andrew said his most treasured memory of his older brother was watching Swindon Town memorably beat Leicester City in the play-off final at Wembley in 1993.

“We all had a great time that day, I know he really enjoyed himself because watching football was what he loved doing, there was a great atmosphere and, of course, Swindon won which he was delighted with.”

Staff at the Range have also expressed their sympathies towards their colleague and his family.

A Range spokesman said: “Stephen will be sorely missed by everybody. He was always happy and smiling.

"Our thoughts go out to his friends and family and everybody else that knew him.”

And Calum Best tweeted his sympathies after reading online coverage in the Gazette's sister paper, the Swindon Advertiser.