Environmental health officers from Forest Heath Council have confirmed they are looking into Saturday's incident at St Mary's Church, Mildenhall, where 80-year-old Jack Sturgeon died.

Prior to the fall, the life-long Mildenhall resident, who lived at Queensway, had been bell-ringing at the wedding of Forest Heath councillor, and retained firefighter, Brian Keane and Kelly Brown.

Mildenhall team vicar the Rev Stefanie Hodges said: "He was one of those people we called a church treasure as nothing was too much for him. He loved the church.

"I can't begin to think how he will be replaced. Everything was always perfectly done and you never had to worry about a thing, even at the most complicated of services."

After leaving school, Mr Sturgeon became an apprentice electrician with Mildenhall-based millers Parker Brothers before moving into radio and television repairs for the same company.

He became responsible for the maintenance of the mill machinery, its steam generation equipment and electrics.

His brother, Peter Sturgeon, of Kingsway, said: "During the course of his life, Jack became an active member of St Mary's parish church as a verger, a position he held for more than 40 years.

"With his natural talents, he maintained the electrical and heating systems as well as the maintenance of the bell mechanisms. He was also an active bell ringer.

"He took care of the church clock, which had to be regularly wound by hand. He was supported in his duties as verger by his wife, Beryl.

"He spent endless hours attending these duties as well as preparations for the normal services and special occasions.

"A caring and true servant of the church, well known and liked by many, he will be sorely missed."

A spokesman for the East Anglian Ambulance Trust confirmed that paramedics were called to the church at 2.15pm where they treated Mr Sturgeon for serious head injuries. He later suffered a heart attack.

Mr Sturgeon is survived by his wife and their daughters Valerie and Ann.

His funeral service will be held at 1pm on Monday, September 15, at St Mary's Church, Mildenhall.

An inquest into his death was opened and adjourned on Tuesday and a full hearing will be held at a later date.