FORMER Hardenhuish School pupil David Lord, 33, has died in India after suffering an asthma attack on a jungle trek.

Mr Lord, who grew up in Chippenham and had recently moved to Bristol, was in Goa with his girlfriend Lena Rotas, 26.

The two had given up their jobs and sold many possessions to go on a seven-month round-the-world trip together when the tragedy struck.

They were just two weeks into their holiday of a lifetime and were looking forward to going to Australia and New Zealand when Mr Lord had an asthma attack in the Indian jungle.

It developed quickly into a heart attack and he died within five minutes on February 23.

His parents, Graham and Bernadette Lord, live in Castle Combe and both work at Grittleton School. They are devastated by the sudden death of their son.

Mrs Lord said: "We are absolutely beside ourselves with grief. We've had lots of support from friends and many condolence cards but it is just too much to take in."

Mr Lord's body has been brought back to England and his funeral date is yet to be confirmed. FW Jones & Sons in Market Place, Chippenham, will handle it.

Mr Lord was a mortgage advisor at Barclay's Bank in Chippenham before he moved to Bristol to become a recruitment consultant.

He was a keen golf player and leaves a six-year-old daughter, Charlotte. He separated from his wife in the past few years.

His father Graham said: "David had been keeping a diary on the web while he was out there. He wrote very well. It went into detail about all the things he and Lena had been doing and it is a real comfort to me to be able to read that.

"You've got to carry on in these situations. I will cherish his memories in that diary.

"He was a very outgoing lad with a beautiful smile and a very wry sense of humour too.

"He did very well at school and Wiltshire was the place he called home. He moved here with us when he was nine years old."

He met his Greek girlfriend in Bristol when he was working there in IT recruitment