A homeless man who was found dead on a busy high street on Christmas Eve has been named locally.

Michael McCluskey, who was in his late 40s, was known to many of the volunteers who work with the homeless in Medway.

He was found by security guards in an empty shop doorway near the Poundland shop and Central Theatre on Christmas Eve morning.

Neil Charlick, from the volunteer group Medway Street Angels, said: “I’d seen him the night before, I bought him McDonalds and we sat together laughing and joking.

“He was a nice lad and we used to talk all the time as he was a West Ham fan same as me, we had a connection because of football so we had something to talk about.”

Mr Charlick, who helped police identify Mr McCluskey, said he had known him for around six weeks.

He added: “He’d just come back down from Manchester to build bridges with his daughter.”

It it thought that Mr McCluskey went to Walderslade Boys School and lived in Chatham.

"He was a nice lad and we used to talk all the time as he was a West Ham fan same as me" - volunteer Neil Charlick

He was also known to the non-profit group One Big Family and founder Liz Shaw said he attended their Christmas party for the homeless last Sunday, as well as their soup kitchens.

She said: “We are all shocked and absolutely devastated by the awful news. He would always stay behind and help us clean up. He was the last to leave on Sunday and he gave me a big hug and said it was the best Christmas party ever.

"He was a lovely man, he was always well dressed and often wore an overcoat which we had given him."

Mrs Shaw said Mr McCluskey had only started sleeping on the high street in recent weeks and added: “If he had been in his usual place it might have been a couple more days before anybody found him.”

Mr Charlick and Mrs Shaw both said they had been contacted by families of other homeless people who were concerned the man was their relative.

Mr McCluskey was booked to stay at the volunteer-run emergency refuge, organised by the charity HALO, on Christmas Eve. The refuge opens when the temperature drops to zero.

Bouquets of flowers, including tributes to Dad and Grandad, and candles have been left at the scene.

Eric Slater from the Salvation Army said Mr McCluskey was known to the charity but was not a regular.

He said: “I’m really sadden this is the second one in six months. Medway Council really needs to start looking at their homeless strategy, I just wish there was a place in the Medway Towns where people can go.”

In June, Samson Paine was found dead in a tent opposite Chatham bus station.

Mr McClauskey’s cause of death is not yet known but enquiries are being dealt with by the coroner. His family have been informed.

Kent Police said it received a report of concern for the welfare of a person at around 11.40am. Officers and ambulance crews were still at the scene at 1.30pm.