THE family of a murder victim have paid a touching tribute to a 'loving young man'.

Steven Willis died last Monday following an incident on Meadowcroft Drive, Normanby, Middlesbrough.

Five men are accused of killing the 27-year-old, who is also known as Steven Pickering.

A family statement, issued through Cleveland Police, reads: "We are a very close knit family and have always done everything together. Our future will never be the same without Steven.

"He was always there for us and a huge part of the family whom we all loved dearly. Words cannot say how devastated we are as a family to have lost him.

"Steven was a loving young man with a huge heart; he would do anything to help anyone. He was always a happy lad and would love to make jokes and to make others smile.

"Everyone who knew Steven loved him; he was an amazing person to be around. Steven always wanted to be a great father and he achieved that as he adored and doted on his two young children, he cherished every minute he could spend with them.

"Steven was a popular man who had a wide network of friends who he enjoyed spending his time with. He was very sociable and loved to be at family gatherings where he would spend a lot of time making sure everyone was happy.

"Steven grew up in Middlesbrough where he spent all of his life.  He was fun loving and would like nothing better than to wind up his younger sisters. He was known as the family joker and for pulling pranks which we loved him for."

The father-of-two attended Brambles Farm Primary School and Ormesby School as a teenager, before leaving school where he became a scaffolder for Cape and Hertel.

  • The five Middlesbrough men accused of his murder are: Dominic John Pickering, 22, of Grinkle Avenue, Park End; Jack Cross, 21, of Olney Walk, Park End; Jahmal Weaver, 21, of Rounton Green, Berwick Hills; Kieran Thomas Ibitson, 20, of Beresford Crescent, Thorntree; Mark Andrew Pickering, 31, of Greenham Close, Thorntree.