The family of a man killed in a blaze at his home in Arundel have paid tribute to him.

Harry Lintott, 88, died when his semi-detached home in Fitzalan Road, Arundel, was wrecked by flames and smoke on November 30.

Lucinda Hudson, his grand-daughter, from Western Australia, said: "I have lived in Australia for four years, but saw Harry last year and regularly before I emigrated.

"He was a familiar figure in Arundel for over 30 years. Each morning he would go up to the paper shop early and was well-known to the proprietors.

"He shopped each week in Somerfield in Littlehampton and would have been recognised there.

"He worked until the last few months and was greatly valued by his employers - a great achievement, since he was supposed to have retired at 65.

"He had five children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, mostly living in Australia.

"He visited Australia on numerous occasions which he greatly enjoyed, even being noted in the local paper here some years ago for killing a deadly snake with his glasses case.

"He had a great sense of humour and was bright and alert. He was a little hard-of-hearing and this could have been misconstrued by some.

"Harry was what an Australian would call a 'battler'.

"When my gran died in 1990, he was on his own but he took this challenge on, becoming adept at all the domestic tasks he had previously not been responsible for.

"He was determined not to become a burden to anyone. He enjoyed his life.

"The fire was a sad and tragic event, an untimely end to his life. He will be greatly missed by all his family, and I personally had an enormous amount of respect for him.

"Harry was not a recluse by any stretch of the imagination."

Mr Lintott's son, Terry Simpson, of Kenwick, Perth, Western Australia said: "Dad was fiercely independent and would not dream of accepting charity.

"He was a wonderful father and husband."

An inquest will be held.