TOUCHING tributes have been paid to a “warm and passionate” tennis coach who suffered a traumatic brain injury while training for a charity boxing match.

Colleagues at the Deanes Sports Centre in Thundersley expressed their “deep sadness” following the death of Lloyd Burton on Monday.

They described the “hugely positive impact” the popular coach had on everyone he met.

Lloyd, from Benfleet, was also head coach at Hadleigh Lawn Tennis Club and took up boxing training for additional fitness.

At the start of the year, he had an opportunity to train for a charity event, which was set to be held in April.

However, at the end of March, Lloyd, then 26, took a blow in training which knocked him out. Lloyd underwent three major surgeries in the week following his accident, with a fourth operation a few weeks later.

Sam Wood, manager at the Deanes Sports Centre, said: “Lloyd captained our Essex League team and oversaw multiple promotions of this team.

“He played in all our competitive teams including Essex League, Essex Team Tennis and Leigh and Westcliff Leagues. He was central to our team character and bond and his love of competing was central to him.

“He was more than a teammate, he was a close friend to so many within the club and he will be sorely missed.”

A fundraising campaign launched by Lloyd’s family in July, to help his recovery, has raised more than £59,000.

In an announcement on the Deanes Sports Centre Facebook, a spokesman said: “His kind heart and positivity were felt throughout the staff, the players he coached and the members of public he served with such warmth.

“His passion for tennis and his way of passing this passion onto countless others will have a legacy for years to come. He was central to our team bond through his infectious love of the game and personality.

“Our deepest condolences go out to his family and his friends, and we feel his loss greatly. The memories we share and his time with us will never be forgotten.”