Tributes Friends mourn football fan who died after fall while hanging up flags

TRIBUTES have been paid to one of Bristol City's most well-known fans, who has died after a tragic accident near his home when he fell from a ladder while hanging up Union flags on lampposts in south Bristol.

- Tristan CORK [e-mail]

Paul Lumber, pictured inset, was one of the leading figures in the notorious CSF - City Service Firm - in the 'casuals' scene of the 1980s, and more recently was the author of two books about the kind of exploits that led him to be a well-known character among football fans across the country.

Friends described Paul as a “one-off” and said his loss was being “felt across south Bristol”.

Paul suffered multiple injuries, including serious head injuries when he fell from a height while putting up flags near his home on November 23.

He was rushed to hospital but never woke up from an induced coma, and died late last week.

In October, Paul had begun an online fundraising campaign to raise money for more flags, and was one of many people in south Bristol who spent their spare time tying both Union and St George flags to lampposts around Bedminster, Bedminster Down, Knowle, Hartcliffe, Hengrove and Whitchurch.

His online fundraiser, which began in late October, had raised more than £1,000 from scores of people pledging their support for his ‘Raise the Colours’ campaign, before his fall on November 23.