A radio presenter who died while on air has been described as “a warm, caring, fun guy” who was loved dearly by those who knew him.Tim Gough, 55, died from a suspected heart attack at his home in Lackford, Suffolk, while presenting Gen Radio’s Monday breakfast show earlier.

He spent much of his life in Suffolk and began his broadcasting career at Ipswich’s Radio Orwell in 1986.

GenX said it was “shocked and devastated beyond words” at his death. The station said Mr Gough died at 07:50 BST.

Music suddenly stopped before starting again, several minutes later.

James Hazell, managing director of GenX Radio, said: “To know Tim personally, as I did very closely for over 30 years, was to know a warm, caring, fun guy who my family and I  loved dearly. We are heartbroken by the news.

“I know his family is enormously comforted by the hundreds of loving messages that have been received and have asked for privacy at this devastating time.”

He added Mr Cough had come out of retirement, going back on air for the first time in a decade, to present the station’s breakfast show.

 ‘Norwich fan’

One of Mr Gough’s colleagues at Radio Orwell in the mid-1980s was presenter Stephen Foster, before the latter went on to work for BBC Radio Suffolk. Mr Foster, now at Radio Caroline, said: “I first got to know Tim when he was working behind the scenes on the Saturday afternoon sports show.”

“We hit it off immediately and the banter never stopped in all our time at Radio Orwell and [Bury St Edmunds-based sister station] Saxon Radio.”

“He was a Norwich City fan, so the rivalry and humor was fierce! ” He did such a great job on air on Saxon his big personality shining through. “I’m so sad to hear of his sudden death which has robbed Suffolk of one of its nicest guys.”