A young filmmaker is believed to have frozen to death while making a documentary about sleeping rough on the streets.
Lee Halpin pictured above planned to spend this week on the streets of Newcastle experiencing and filming what life is like for those who are living rough.
But three days after embarking on the project talented Lee, who lived with his family in Heaton, Newcastle, was found dead in a boarded-up hostel on Westgate Road, Newcastle.
It is not yet known how he died, but it's feared the 27-year-old may have succumbed to hypothermia.
A Met Office spokesman confirmed the lowest recorded temperature for Newcastle early on April 3 was around -4.2C.
Friends have since paid tribute to the 'thoroughly excellent bloke' and have spoken of his death as the 'ultimate sacrifice' in raising awareness of homelessness.
Lee had spoken with his friends about looking forward to the project and on Sunday was asking his 1,500 Twitter followers if anyone had a sleeping bag he could borrow.
In his last Tweet - on Sunday at 11.05am - Lee asked his followers: 'If anyone has got an old phone I can have for a week, I'd be very grateful.'
'Lee was a great guy, a character and was well known. His big things were creative writing and poetry.
'He was making a documentary about homeless people living in Newcastle's West End.
'No one knows how he passed away, but we think it could have been hypothermia.
'He made the ultimate sacrifice trying to raise awareness about what was happening to other people.'
Lee, was discovered in the vacant Summerhill Hostel just before 10am on Wednesday.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said it was believed no third party was involved in his death, adding: 'Police were informed the body of a man believed to be in his 20s had been found in a derelict building in Westgate Road.
'A report will be prepared for the coroner.'
Paramedics were also called to the property.
Since Lee's death, tributes have come in from friends and those who knew him.
One friend described Lee as 'a great advocate for the north-east arts scene'.
Having completed his creative writing MA at Newcastle University, Lee went on to become a founder editor of Novel, a magazine covering all aspects of North East culture from performances and exhibitions to launch parties and talent.
And for almost a year, he'd featured on the airwaves with his The Weekend Starts Here Show on Radio Tyneside, on Fridays from 8pm till 10pm.
On Twitter, tributes have been paid by those who worked with and knew Lee.
Staff at Intimation Creative said: 'We're very sad to hear that Lee Halpin passed away.
'Our thoughts go out to Lee's family and many friends.'
Dan Howarth described Lee as a 'talented, courageous and thoroughly excellent bloke', adding: 'Shattered by the news of the death of Lee Halpin. A massive loss.'
Culled from MAIL ONLINE
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