THE father of Michael Doyle has spoken of his grief at losing his son and how his thoughts are now turning to staying strong for his three other children.

John Doyle and his wife Mandy yesterday boarded a flight back home to Swindon from Bulgaria to be with their daughters Libby and Michaela and son Marcus, who are all in their 20s.

They will come together and support each other before making funeral arrangements for Michael, whose body is due to be repatriated at the end of the week.

The 29-year-old from Penhill, died on Saturday morning, three weeks after being hospitalised while on holiday with excruciating stomach pain which led his organs to shut down.

“We are falling to bits and we haven’t been able to mourn yet, we have have to deal with flights and getting him home,” said a distraught John, who flew the 2,000 miles to be with his son after he fell ill.

“We’ve been rushing up to the hospital every day and it’s been soul destroying.

“He just came over to relax and get away from everyday life, he didn’t know he was ill before he went.

“We are just now trying to get him home and buried.

“We haven’t decided where we are going to have the funeral but with all of the people contacting us and leaving tributes we think it’s going to be a big one, I didn’t realise how many people he knew.”

Scores of people have been remembering the popular former Headlands School student, who was well known in the area for his love of Celtic Football Club and horse racing, particularly at Cheltenham, as well as darts and gambling.

He was also very sociable and could often be found drinking at the Ferndale Club and The Southbrook Inn.

In his youth he was a talented footballer and was called for trials at Bristol Rovers and Southampton football clubs.

His trip to Bulgaria with his pals was his fourth visit to the country.

“He was a bit of a character and a loveable lad,” John said. “He was caring, bright and took no fools and he had a lot of respect for elders.

“He loved travelling and seeing the world. He was planning to go to Cancun at Christmas and Benidorm in October for his birthday.

“He’s 29 years old, he hasn’t lived his life to the full but he has because he did everything he wanted to do and had everything he needed from the family.

“Me and Mandy are sat here thinking about the time I bought his first car and his first red pram because he was our firstborn.

“We have got a lot of fond memories as he always wanted to do something or go somewhere.

“He loved his horse racing, playing football and his darts and was well known for it, as well as gambling. He loved going to Cheltenham.

“He also idolised his grandad and when he was younger would sit on the kerb outside his nan’s house and she would give him sweets and pocket money but tell him not to tell his grandad.”

An online fundraising page set up before Michael died to bring him home, after they discovered his travel insurance would not cover the costs, has raised more than £4,000, with people donating from around the world.

John said: “We are still fighting the insurance company and they haven’t even got back to my wife. The embassy couldn’t get a response either.

“The money raised online isn’t going to cover all the bills but we can’t thank all my friends enough and for all the people who donated.

“We have just got to get home for the kids.

“Our lives are going to take a while to rebuild.”