A MAN has died after falling 50ft from a tree in Great Harwood.

Dennis Slater, 31, formerly of Fernhurst Street, Ewood, but who had been living in the Rishton area, was amongst a group of 20 friends camping in ‘The Pines’ off Blackburn Old Road, Great Harwood, when tragedy struck.

The joiner had been drinking in the area and enjoying a camp fire on Friday night close to the Dean Clough Reservoir. But he was seriously injured after falling from a tree around 5am on Saturday.

The 31-year-old was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital by the police helicopter, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

A police spokesman said: “Early indications are that the man was with a large group of people who were camping in the area and the man had climbed a tree and fallen approximately 50 feet.

“It appears to be a tragic accident and is not being treated as suspicious.”

Flowers and tributes mark the remote scene describing Mr Slater as a ‘legend’ and ‘special friend’ who leaves ‘wonderful memories’.

His close friends paid tribute to Mr Slater.

Emma Burke, 29, of Fernhurst Street, said: “He was all about mischief. A few of us thought ‘what the hell was he doing?’. But then we said - ‘typical Dennis’.

“There was never a dull moment. His friends were everything to him and he always had a smile. He was driven by passion and will leave us with a lot of good memories.”

Gaz Etherington, 30, from Rishton, said his dog Earnie was his ‘closest partner’. He said: “He had been drinking, having a laugh and has obviously climbed a tree, slipped and fallen. There are a lot of people gutted and very upset. I’ve known him for 15 years. He’ll be sadly missed.”

Local resident Mike Hodkinson, 72, said he had seen police activity while walking his dog close to the scene on Saturday at around 7am.

He said: “It’s extremely sad."

The death has been referred to the coroner.

A Facebook group in tribute to Mr Slater already has close to 400 members.