Tributes have been paid to a young man who fell to his death from the multi-storey Panorama building in Ashford town centre.

Ryan Males, a 22-year-old former Norton Knatchbull pupil from Ashford, managed to get into the old Charter House site in Park Street on Sunday morning, despite it being watched by a security guard, and fell several floors onto the busy road at 8am.

Police and paramedics arrived shortly afterwards but Ryan was already dead.

A spokesman from Norton Knatchbull School said: “He was a popular student who was well liked by his peers.

“His former English teacher remembers him as a particularly talented writer. The school is very sorry indeed to hear of his loss.”

After completing his GCSEs, Ryan left the school and went on to study performing arts at K College.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) spokesman said they were not involved at this stage as Ryan’s death was not being treated as a workplace accident.

Sananur Meric, a spokesman for developers Dukelease, confirmed a security guard was on duty at the site 24 hours a day before adding: “We have been informed about the tragic event that occurred over the weekend. We can confirm the person involved was not one of the site’s construction team.”

An inquest into Ryan’s death was opened and adjourned yesterday afternoon.

Park Street was closed for several hours between the junction with Wellesley Road and the corner near the North Street end of the Panorama building while police investigated.

A tent and a tarpaulin covered areas of the road and a green car with its number plates covered was towed away.

Builders were seen talking to police officers outside the site and looking up at the building.

Police spokesman Jon Green said: “Police believe the 22-year-old man from Ashford who was found dead in Park Street on Sunday morning fell from the Panorama building.

“A report into the circumstances surrounding the death is being prepared for the coroner. There are currently no suspicious circumstances.”

The Panorama is the former Charter House office block, currently being renovated and turned into apartments with retail space on the ground floor.

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