Nathan Layton, aged 28, from Wing was bitten in a freak attack by a black mamba snake as he apparently walked through long grass at the Southern African Wildlife Campus in Hoedspruit, close to the Kruger National Park, where he was training to become a field guide.

Nathan was on a year long training course organised by the British-based ethical volunteering organisation Global Vision International.
Details of how the attack happened are still unclear as it has also been reported that he may have been trying to coax the snake into a container for research when it struck.

The village has been devastated by the news and people have been quick to pay tribute to a 'down to earth' lad who 'loved nothing more than spending time with his girlfriend' who he had been with for eight years.

He was one of three of his family who attended Cottesloe School until he was 17 where a spokesman described him as 'an extremely likeable lad who was very popular'. Yesterday (Wednesday) Nathan would have been 29.

Sethi, owner of the Wing Post Office, said: "Nathan was a very nice guy. He was different to other lads his age, he was an amazing guy and one of the best lads we knew in the village.

"It was heartbreaking to hear because he was so young. My heart goes out to the family. My whole family are thinking of them at this difficult time."

Nathan's parents, who live in Prospect Place, Wing, declined to comment yesterday.

Karen Dawson, who works at Style Hair and Beauty in High Street, Wing, said: "He had a wonderful character, he was the type of guy who would have done anything for anyone. He's going to be terribly missed."

Many other local residents echoed the sentiments, and opinions, with everyone sending their love 'to anyone who was fortunate enough to know him'.

A memorial page on social networking site Facebook has been set up in his honour under a banner which simply reads: "Died doing what he loved.

"We love you buddy – you'll be missed and never forgotten."