Shaun Keywood, who brought smiles to the faces of people in Broad Street Mall, has died aged 49.

Fondly nicknamed by his friends as ‘Little Shaun’, he was known for his positivity and jokes while keeping tenants of the mall company.

Reading residents have donated more than £1500 to his funeral fundraiser since he passed away on October 21 in Royal Berkshire Hospital.

Friend Ira Forina Ridgwell said they were talking about Shaun’s 50th birthday celebrations when they heard of his death.

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“We were wondering why he'd not been around for a few days. As we started hearing rumours we were all shocked and dismayed,” said Ira, who has worked in Broad Street Mall for more than 20 years.

“Didn't believe it at first. We're all still waiting for him to walk into our stores to make our day.”

The fundraiser for Shaun’s funeral broke its target of £1,000 by £505.

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The money raised will cover the cost of Shaun’s funeral and any leftover will be donated to charity.

“We knew he was loved and appreciated but we were shocked about the amount that people donated. He was clearly loved by a lot of people”

She continued: “We all admired him. He had a troubled life yet was always full of life.

“He was an example to all of us. We simply never want him forgotten - he deserves to be remembered.”