Tributes have been paid to Chas McNeil, who has been named by police as the skydiver who died after jumping from a plane in Devon on Saturday.

Police were called to Dunkeswell Aerodrome in Devon just before 1pm, following concerns for the welfare of Mr McNeil, 49, from Poole.

Emergency services attended the scene, where the death of the experienced skydiver – said to have completed thousands of jumps – was confirmed.

In a statement issued through Devon and Cornwall Police, Mr McNeil’s family said: “Keep your chin up and when you look up at the sky, think of Chas.”

The force added that enquiries from officers, British Skydiving and East Devon District Council Environmental Health and Safety Office were continuing.

A GoFundMe page to support Mr McNeil’s family, set up by friend Daniel Poole, has since reached more than £1,600 in donations, as of midday on Tuesday.

Mr Poole said on the page: “He was always there at the front leading the way, smiling no matter how bad things got.

“He was and always will be one of the greats. Let’s give him the send off he deserves.”

Skydive South West, which operates out of Dunkeswell Aerodrome, said in a statement posted on social media: “We are deeply saddened to confirm that an experienced licensed skydiver and wingsuit coach with over 10,000 jumps logged tragically lost their life whilst carrying out a wingsuit jump with a friend, using his personal parachute equipment and an advanced wingsuit.

“Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with their family, friends and the wider skydiving community at this incredibly difficult time.”

It confirmed staff were assisting British Skydiving and Devon and Cornwall Police. British Skydiving said the fatal incident involved a “highly experienced skydiver”.

The Dunkeswell Aerodrome is located in the Blackdown Hills and advertises activities including skydiving, wing walking, flight training and helicopter training.

On its website, the site said it was “initially established as an American naval base during the peak of World War Two” and it “now supports a network of aviation businesses and commercial developments”.

In June last year, mother-of-four Belinda Taylor, 48, from Totnes, Devon, and Adam Harrison, 30, from Bournemouth, Dorset, died while skydiving close to Dunkeswell Aerodrome.

‘Hugely respected and much-loved’

On Monday evening, Skydive Sandown said on its Facebook page that Mr McNeil was “a hugely respected and much-loved member of the aviation and adventure sports community”.

“A highly experienced skydiver with over 10,000 jumps, his passion for the skies extended far beyond skydiving alone – touching paragliding, speed flying, kitesurfing, fishing, and so many lives along the way”, it added.

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“Our thoughts are with Chas’s family, friends, and everyone affected by this devastating loss. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.”

The veteran’s charity Phoenix Heroes also paid tribute to Mr McNeil, saying he had been with the organisation since its beginning, and had “helped grow our veteran community and passed on his skills”.