A ‘big-hearted’ 20-year-old man has been found dead at home.

Chris Knott, who grew up in Blackburn, was discovered by his girlfriend Gemma in the flat they shared in Preston.

A coroner has been informed and no one else is believed to be involved.

His dad Graham, 51, of Isherwood Street, Blackburn, said the family was in shock after Chris was found on Sunday.

He said: “My mind’s just blank. It hasn’t really hit us yet that this is real.

“He was just like any other young lad. He was into body-building, fishing, rave music and partying.

“Chris would come home on a Friday night and you wouldn’t see him again until Sunday because he was out enjoying himself.

“He had a lot of friends, and he was very loyal to them. There was always a lot of his friends knocking about.

“Chris had a big heart and was great with kids. He often used to babysit the children of his friends - he’d have made a great dad.”

Chris, a former pupil of St Mary’s Primary School in Mellor, Darwen Vale and Walton-le-Dale High School, started work as a panel beater aged 16 at Gillibrands in Blackburn before moving to Karl Vella.

He was unemployed at the time of his death, but was planning to apply for a job with Preston City Council.

Mr Knott said: “He rang me at 6pm on Saturday saying he was going to come and see me for help filling out his CV.

“I don’t know what happened after that, but apparently he’d been drinking on his own in the flat.

“I had a missed call on my phone at 11.20pm but I didn’t see it.

“At 4.20am the police came knocking on the door and I thought ‘what’s he done now?’ “He was a bit of a headache sometimes, and he could be quite fiery, but we’ll never forget his grin.”

He leaves sister Lyndsey, step-brothers Lee, Michael and Peter, step-sister Julie and step-mother Carol.

Mr Knott said that Chris was also extremely close to his grandfather Graham Renshaw, who would play snooker with him when he had been a boy.

More than 750 people have paid online tribute to Chris and several of his friends have contacted the Lancashire Telegraph.

Paddy Shorrock, who grew up with Chris, said he was devastated.

The 30-year-old, who set up the tribute on social networking site Facebook, said: “We grew up on the same streets and we used to hang around together.

“He was always up for a laugh. I will really miss his loyalty and just talking to him and going for a beer.”

Mr Shorrock, of Shadsworth Road, said: “I went on holiday with him and his stepbrothers last year – we were like a band of brothers and we always had so much fun.

"He will be dearly missed by everyone who knew him.”

Another friend, Martin Webster, 29, of Cranbrook Street, said: “He used to babysit my children.

"He was a really good lad and we will all miss him so much this Christmas.

“He used to come round every week and we would go out for a few beers.

"His death was totally unexpected and we are all devastated.”

A funeral and cremation will take place at Pleasington Cemetery at noon on Monday, December 14.

All Chris’s friends are welcome.