THE inquest into the death of a “kind and generous” Southampton man who died after falling from a city landmark will take place today.

Keith Laidler fell to his death after falling from the Itchen Bridge on February 7 this year.

Tributes were led by Mr Laidler’s family in the days after his death. They said the news was like a “bombshell”.

The 59-year-old trained engineer and former communications worker was well known in Southampton and was described as a “local character”.

As reported by the Daily Echo, Mr Laidler moved to the city from the north-east in 1974 and stayed on the south coast for the rest of his life.

He always kept in touch with his family in Yorkshire and often visited at Christmas.

Although not able to work in latter years due to persistent health problems, Mr Laidler was often found helping neighbours with odd jobs and tinkering with cars, as he was a car enthusiast according to his family who also described him as “one of the kindest men you could ever meet”.