A man who died after being found on fire in a New Malden street was “let down” by the authorities, friends have claimed.

Colin Edwards, 51, died on Monday at a specialist burns unit in Essex.

Mr Edwards, who had been homeless, was found with 50 per cent burns in the early hours of Friday morning outside Clear House, an empty office building in Kingston Road where it was believed he had been sleeping.

It has been suggested Mr Edwards was cooking before the fire started.

He had been known to St Peter’s Church in Norbiton, and had previously stayed at the YMCA in Surbiton.

At St Peter’s big feast on Wednesday – a weekly meal for vulnerable and homeless people which Mr Edwards had previously attended, friends lit candles in his memory.

Surrey Comet:

In memory: Candles lit at St Peter's Church for Colin Edwards 

But several people claimed Mr Edwards should never have been left in the situation he was in when he died.

School friend John Ridley said: “Colin has always been a bit of a loner. He had mental health problems and the authorities would not deal with it.

“He was put on a shelf to rot. That’s why he got into this mess. I saw him a couple of weeks ago and he said ‘They won’t house me, they won’t come near me’.

“No one wanted to help him.

“He should have been in cared accommodation or sheltered accommodation.”

Surrey Comet:

The scene of the fire was cordoned off 

Kieran Cullen, 49, said: “He was a lovely fellow. I knew him about 20 years. He would not hurt a fly. He had a good heart. The authorities just would not help him.”

A South West London and St George’s Mental Health Trust spokeswoman confirmed Mr Edwards was known to the service, but was unable to comment further on what help he was ever given.

A Kingston Council spokesman said: “This is a terrible tragedy and the council’s thoughts are with the friends and family of Mr Edwards.

“At this time we are looking into what support was sought by Mr Edwards and how we may have responded.”

Reverend Peter Holmes said: "He kept himself to himself but he was an articulate man who knew how to have a conversation."

Sharon Abrahams, 53, from New Malden, who met Mr Edwards during one of his spells in Surbiton’s YMCA, said "he would give you the shirt off his back".

She added: "He used to buy things for people from charity shops. He bought me an angel pin. He said here is an angel for an angel because I took him to church."

Kirk Young said: "Colin was a nice guy. He gave my mate the last bit of his tobacco last week."

Another friend, who did not want to be named, said: "He was a lunatic but he was our lunatic."

Surrey Comet:

Tributes left in Kingston Road with flowers and Chelsea football club merchandise 

Former football teammate Kevin Pidduck, 37, from Kingston, said: “He was a nice man, always very happy and cheerful.

“I know people said he was homeless and on drugs but he always remembered everyone he saw. I never delved into his life.

“He was a very well-liked man. He even played for my football team a few years ago. He was good in goal.”

Facebook users also took to the social networking site to express their condolences.

Debbie Davenport said: “He was a proper mate tho [sic], and always had a smile, even when he was down on his luck. God bless you Colin.”

Maria Honess Day said: “Even though I haven’t been in Kingston for a while now, I remember Colin on the Cambridge estate most days when I lived there, never saw him fall out with anyone, he always got on with everyone.”

Rick Longhurst said: “My wife knew Colin and she told me that he was always so polite to everyone when he went into Greggs.”

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said it would be submitting the findings of its investigation into the cause of the fire to the coroner in due course.

Kingston Road was closed between the High Street and Springfield Place following the fire at Clear House, to which emergency services were called to about 4.30am on March 6.

Another man was treated for smoke inhalation.

The Metropolitan Police said the death was being treated as non-suspicious.

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