“HE was everybody’s mate...a diamond geez- er.”

That is how Toby Wain, Oxford United fan and community stalwart, was remembered by friends and family last night.

Mr Wain, son of the late poet, author and Oxford University professor John Wain, died at the John Radcliffe Hospital on Monday.

Mr Wain had been taken to hospital by an ambulance crew at 6.45pm on Thursday, July 15, police spokesman Rebecca Webber said.

It is not known how Mr Wain died and police were last night waiting for the results of a post mortem examination.

A 46-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm on Friday, July 16 in Wolvercote, and has been bailed until Friday.

Family said 44-year-old Mr Wain, one of four brothers, had been looking forward to becoming an uncle.

His older brother Ianto, who is expecting his first child with wife Louise, spoke of his sadness Toby would never meet his niece or nephew.

Toby had shared the role of best man at Ianto’s recent wedding at Stanford-in-the-Vale with brother Will, 49.

Ianto said: “He had been really looking forward to being an uncle and meeting him or her. That is one of the saddest things about it.

“Toby was just a really popular bloke, lots of people liked him. He was sort of everybody’s mate, what you would call a ‘diamond geezer’.

“Toby loved football and was a keen Oxford United fan. We both went to Wembley to see them play. It was a great day.

“In a lot ways his popularity and his kindness was the key thing about him.

“He was always helping people. He was just a lovely, decent bloke.”

Will added: “One of Toby’s greatest talents was his ability to get on with people in all walks of life.”

Born at the Radcliffe Infirmary in May 1966, Mr Wain became well known around Oxford, particularly in Wolvercote, where he lived for most of his life.

He was involved in fundraising and on the management committee of the Wolvercote Young People’s club and was a keen footballer.

Mr Wain was also an award-winning gardener and left Oxfordshire briefly to study Horticulture at Pershore College, in Worcesteshire. He was named Landscape Gardener of the year in 1996.

Judge Terence Maher, who lives in Wolvercote and became friends with Mr Wain when he did some gardening work for him, said: “He carried out all sorts of odd jobs in the area and was very skilled and well known in the community. That is how I got to know him.

“I am probably old enough to be Toby’s father, but over the years I got to know him and he became a good friend.

“He was a bit of a maverick, Toby. A lovely man.”

Tim Dowring, landlord at the Plough, in Wolvercote, said: “I have known him for 15 years and he was popular with everyone who came in the pub.”