A community has been left in shock after a "fit and healthy" dad of two young boys lost his fight with Covid five days after Christmas.

Luke Sands was just 27 when he died in intensive care on Thursday, having spent six weeks in hospital.

Chelsie Mills, sister-in-law of the Sheppey scaffolder and landscape gardener, described him as a "loving son, partner, father, brother, uncle and a very good friend to many".

She has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money for his funeral. In less than a day 300 people - including a nurse who had looked after Mr Sands on Christmas Day - had donated more than £8,000. Today it stands at £11,473.

One friend gave £1,000 to help the family.

Luke leaves his partner Becky Cole and two sons, Reggie, aged seven, and three-year-old Vinnie.

During his battle with the virus, Ms Cole posted on Facebook to say: "I’m sick to death of seeing people sharing posts about Covid being a lie and not to get the jab.

"My Luke is 26, lives a normal life, works every day and is always active. In the past two weeks he has got so poorly he can’t even breathe on his own and has to be strapped to a mask 24/7 with oxygen being pumped into his body because his lungs can’t cope."

She warned people on social media to think about those with the virus before sharing anti-Covid posts.

She admitted: "I didn’t think too much of it until I was the one sat up every night crying, wondering if I’m going to get that phone call. This is a 26-year-old dad-of-two fighting every day to come home to his kids. Please think of others. It ain’t hard to wear a mask, is it?"

Mr Sands turned 27 the day before he died.

Tributes have been left from Tan Up in Sheerness, Kitchen Wraps and Inshape Fitness Centre at the Treadmill in Railway Road, Sheerness. A minute's silence was held in memory of Luke before a recent Sheerness East v Woodcombe football game.

Luke worked for 2-Tone Scaffolding and ran his own company called Sandys Property Services which revamped gardens and laid artificial grass.

A neighbour added: "Luke was one of the most healthiest, most active guys and always on the go. Seeing him like this has shown me the reality of this virus. Hopefully, people will see that this isn’t a joke."

It is understood Luke went into hospital on November 18 with a chest infection and caught Covid which led to sepsis and pneumonia.

The GoFundMe page is here.