TRIBUTES have been paid to a kind, bubbly and gentle young man who died suddenly over the festive period.

Joss Venning, 21, who suffered from severe epilepsy, died in his sleep in the early hours of December 23.

Residents in Corfe Castle, the village where Joss was born and lived throughout his life, said the whole community had been left devastated.

His mother, Helen Thompson, said her son was a very popular and much-loved young man.

“He was the most angelic little boy,” she said.

“He was adored by everyone in the village.”

The former Purbeck School pupil, who enjoyed socialising with friends and playing poker, was a familiar face at the Royal British Legion and Castle Inn.

Mark Turner, landlord at the Castle Inn, where Joss used to work, said: “He was a super young man. It was only a few weeks ago that he was sat in the pub celebrating his 21st birthday.

“It’s a tragedy when anyone passes away but for a young man of his age and so suddenly, it’s just awful. Obviously our hearts go out to his family and everyone who knew him.”

The outgoing youngster had recently made a YouTube video to audition for this year’s Big Brother TV show saying he’d love to go into the house to have fun and joked it would help him get over his ‘phone habit’.

Joss’s friend Hazel Legg said: “I saw him on the bus just a few days before he died and he was saying how excited he was about Christmas and what he had got planned. It was so sudden.

“He was so lovely and was always full of life.”

Elaine Naptin, who works at the Sweet Shop in the village, had known Joss since he was a small boy.

“He was so kind and gentle,” she said. “He was very caring and he absolutely doted on his grandmother and vice versa. It’s heartbreaking.”

Joss’s funeral will be held at the Church of St Edward, Corfe Castle, today at 2pm. His family has requested that those who attend wear something red and for flowers to be left by family members only.

Donations for Epilepsy Action may be sent to Albert Marsh, Funeral Directors, St Michael’s Road, Wareham.