TRIBUTE has been paid to the founder and owner of Barry's Welsh Hawking Centre, who was killed in a tragic accident this week.

Pillar of the community, long time Rotary Club member and community fundraiser Ceri "Griff" Griffiths, 71, died after sustaining injuries while felling a tree at the Weycock Cross centre.

South Wales Fire and Rescue confirmed that they were called to an incident at the Hawking Centre at 3.17pm on Monday, October 13, where a male had fallen from a height of around 20ft while cutting a tree with a chainsaw.

He was airlifted by ambulance to the University Hospital of Wales where he later died from his injuries.

Griff was described by Rotary Club of Barry president Robin Pitcher as "an outgoing person who would brighten your day just by being there" and someone who will be "sorely missed" by everyone who knew him and the community as a whole.

A former teacher, Griff founded the Welsh Hawking Centre - one of the Vale's most loved tourist attractions - in 1980, purchasing the old Cardiff Zoo in order to pursue his passion for working with birds of prey with his wife Norma. His son Griff Jnr also works at the centre.

Colleague and friend Jamie Munro, ecologist at the Hawking Centre, said: "Griff was retired from the family business and it was a tragic, tragic accident which happened while he was felling a tree.

"We’re all absolutely devastated. We’re going to miss him, as will a lot of the community.

"We want to thank the emergency services, they couldn't have done any more than they did. They were incredible."

As well as spending some time in recent years travelling to Dubai, where his expertise was sought in a bird breeding project, Griff was also dedicated to raising funds in the community as part of the Rotary Club - where he had twice served as president since joining in 2001.

During his time with the club he was regularly involved with everything from helping set up Barry Island's annual fireworks display to the turning on of the High Street Christmas lights and many more fundraising activities to help those less fortunate in the community.

Rotary Club President Robin Pitcher said: "All of us in the Rotary Club of Barry were deeply shocked to hear about the tragic loss of our colleague and friend, Griff.

"Since he joined the club in 2001 Griff had always been there ready and willing to help with whatever fundraising or charitable activities the Club was planning. His support did not need to be asked for - he would be the one asking if could do anything."

Griff's pet fundraising project was the much-loved "Pork in the Park" annual BBQ at the Hawking Centre, where he would serve up pork with an "allowance of crackling and a big smile".

This year's event was in aid of Riding for the Disabled, aiming to raise money for a ramp to make it possible for disabled children to get from their wheelchairs onto their horses.

Club President Robin Pitcher continued: "In 2006 and again in 2010 he very competently took over the presidency of the club.

"He was a naturally good speaker and had us, and several other groups he visited as guest speaker, enthralled many times with his tales of his activities breeding birds of prey at the Hawking Centre.

"On one memorable occasion he brought some hatching eggs to our annual Rotary conference, nipping upstairs to his room every so often to check they were OK.

"Griff was a very popular member of the club, an outgoing person who would brighten your day just by being there.

"He will be sorely missed by all of us. Our thoughts go out to his wife Norma and the whole of the family."