Colleagues of a teacher who fell to his death from a church tower in Oxford have paid a moving tribute to him.

Dr David Brunton, 39, of Hinton Waldrist, near Wantage, had worked at Magdalen College School, in Cowley Place, for 14 years and was appointed head of media studies in 2002, it emerged yesterday.

He died on Tuesday, March 20, after falling from the tower of St Mary the Virgin Church in Radcliffe Square, Oxford.

Andrew Halls, the master of Magdalen College School, said Dr Brunton was easy to talk to, both for staff and pupils.

He said: "David Brunton was an inspirational teacher and a housemaster of enormous compassion and insight.

"His classroom was a place of lively discourse and articulate energy where every boy felt welcome, whatever his point of view.

"David had enormous success in public examinations, both in his first love, English literature, and in media studies, but boys will remember him for his much more profound success in awakening their imaginations, their literary and filmic response and in the compassion of his pastoral care. As a colleague, he was energetic, larger than life, perceptive and with a very bright thread of humour and wit."

Staff at the school were told about the tragedy on Friday, March 23, the last day of school term, but pupils were notified by letters sent out on Monday, in accordance with his family's wishes.

A service of remembrance to Dr Brunton will be held at the school when pupils return after the Easter holidays. Older boys have been invited to call the school office to get details of funeral arrangements should they wish to attend.

Mr Halls said plans for a more permanent memorial to Dr Brunton were already being considered and any ideas would be developed in discussion with his family.

Yesterday a neighbour of Dr Brunton also paid tribute to him. She said Dr Brunton and his wife Jenny were expecting a baby.

She said: "He was always the first to crack a joke and was such a warm and friendly man. We will all miss him terribly."

Pupils and former pupils have continued to leave messages of tribute on the Oxford Mail website.

Greg, from Oxford, said: "When I was going through my period of chronic depression, Dave took me aside and gave me some of the most important advice I've ever been given.

"He fought to save me from expulsion from Magdalen and I'll never be truly able to thank him for giving me the chance to finish my GCSEs and pass as well as I did."

Another former student, from Abingdon, said: "This is a tragic and incomprehensible loss."

Matthew Mair, from Oxford, said: "Dr Brunton was a truly unique personality. No-one he taught will ever forget him ... his is a truly tragic waste."