Family's heartbreaking tribute to dad, 40, who died in Jet2 flight tragedy as he flew home with his children

The dad of a man who died as he flew home from holiday with his children has paid tribute to his 'bubbly' son who 'lived life to the full.'

Chris Neill, 40, fell ill on the Jet2 flight from Burgas in Bulgaria to Liverpool's John Lennon Airport last Monday (September 16). It was diverted to Cologne in Germany but he died shortly after it landed.

It has now been revealed that Chris was travelling back from holiday with his children when he suffered the medical episode. While on the flight, he was taken to the front of the plane with an oxygen mask before it landed. After landing, Chris walked off the plane and down the steps onto the runway, the Liverpool Echo reports.

READ MORE: More details about mother and disabled daughter at centre of Salford murder-suicide come to light as tributes continue to pour in

Before he reached the concrete, the dad-of-two from Runcorn collapsed after what is believed to have been a severe heart attack. By the time he was taken into the ambulance which was waiting for him, he had tragically died.

Chris's dad, Mal Neill, flew out to Germany the following day to collect his grandchildren, Reece, 19 and Archie, eight, after the incident before sending them back to the UK while he dealt with the coroner.

Mal has now spoken out about the tragedy and paid a moving tribute to his son, an Everton fan and fitness fanatic who he says was "really liked by everybody."

The family are now fundraising to repatriate his body. Mal has explained how Chris thought he had travel insurance through his bank, Halifax, but it had in fact expired, meaning the family are now urgently raising funds to repatriate the body back to the UK.

Mal said: "On the flight back he felt ill and they didn't know what was