Tributes have been paid to a shopkeeper who passed away from coronavirus.

Krishnasamy Chiyamalan, 41, had been the owner of Templeton News in Temple Hill Square in Dartford.

The 41-year-old away passed away at his home on Saturday, April 4, leaving behind his wife Gopika, and their two children aged three and seven months.

His brother Thiviyan said Krishnasamy was ill for seven days before his passing, during which he kept the store closed.

Thiviyan heard from his brother two days before he died. He said he felt he was getting better and intended re-opening the shop.

Thiviyan said: "It's really unfortunate, we didn't expect it; he didn't feel like he was getting worse. His wife really looked after him nicely at home."

Mr Chiyamalan had been running his shop for two years after having similar jobs in garages and convenience stores.

Earlier this week, the National Federation of Retail Newsagents paid tribute to him after they determined he was one of the first newsagents in the UK to die of coronavirus.

Mr Chiyamalan had moved to the UK from Sri Lanka in 2002 and lived in north London before making the move to Kent.

He married his wife in 2013. The family lived a five minute walk from the shop.

His brother said: "He was a really nice person for the community. He wanted to keep everybody together, he was really good at it.

"He tried to help people. He was one of the nicest people you can come across, really helping from the heart.

"If someone needed help, he always offered help.

"He really had good contact with the area; lots of people used to come to see him."

The family are planning a cremation on Sunday, April 19, in Hendon, London.

A JustGiving page set up by Mr Chiyamalan's friends to support his wife and children has reached £1,700.

Thiviyan added: "If you don't stay at home, how can you stop this virus? It's the only way we can contain the spread and the only way we can stop the virus."

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