THE mother of a Cheshire man tragically killed in a climbing accident has paid tribute to her son.

Michael Weaver, 36, of Shay Lane, Tarvin Sands, Cheshire, plunged 100ft from a cliff in Cornwall while climbing with four work colleagues from a precision engineering firm in Winsford.

The climbers were tackling the Kenidjack Cliffs in the St Just area of west Cornwall on Saturday at 6pm when he fell.

He was airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital near Truro, where he was treated for head, chest and abdominal injuries but died in the intensive care unit on Bank Holiday Monday.

His parents Sam and Iris were at his bedside.

Mr Weaver, the middle of three sons, had lived with his parents in the tiny village since splitting up with his partner two years ago.

Mr Weaver's distraught mother said he was well-known locally and the family had been inundated with messages of condolence.

An inquest into his death was opened and adjourned earlier this week by the Falmouth coroner. It is not yet known why Mr Weaver, who took up climbing three years ago, fell. Conditions were misty but the climb was said to be well within his ability by other mountaineers.

His funeral will be held at Chester Crematorium next Thursday.

There will be family flowers only and any donations from friends will go to an environmental charity, possibly Greenpeace or Friends of the Earth.