The heartbroken family of one of the three men killed in Friday night’s light aircraft crash in Co Down has said their lives will never be the same again. Tragic Andrew Burden (24) died along with Stephen Annett (24) and Hugh McKnight (53), who was flying the four-seater plane that crashed and burst into flames in a field just outside the harbour town of Kilkeel on Friday night.

The three, all keen motorbike enthusiasts, had been returning from the Isle of Man where they had spent the day watching the TT races.

The plane had been making its approach to land at a private airstrip when it crashed, killing the three men on impact.

Yesterday tributes for each of the men poured in from across the numbed south Down community.

In an emotional interview with Sunday Life, Andrew Burden’s aunt June Chambers paid tribute to the 24-year-old who was an officer in the Boys’ Brigade and a keen footballer.

Speaking from the Annalong home where Andrew, who worked as a welder, lived with his father Bobby, mother Anne, and siblings Stephen, Timothy and Sarah, she said: “Andrew touched everybody’s heart and was loved by everybody.

“He will be forever missed. The house will never be the same.

“Andrew lit up the house when he walked into it.

“His mother and father are devastated. Andrew loved his parents and always told his mother that he would look after her when she was older.

“She’s heartbroken that she will never see him married or become a father.”

She added that while he had a passion for motorbikes, he had resisted buying one as he knew the worry it would cause his parents.

“He was 24 years old but he cared about what his parents thought,” she explained.

And she added that the family wished to extend their sympathies to the McKnight and Annett families.

“Shirley [Hugh’s widow] was worried that people would blame Hugh but we we want to make it clear that we don’t blame him in any way,” June said.

June’s son Neil, who was very close to Andrew, said he would always remember his cousin’s bright smile.

“Andrew had a really cheeky smile. When we were together there was always a buzz — we bounced off each other.

“He had a real sense of adventure, was quite competitive and he loved the outdoors.”

Neil added that Andrew had become a Christian over a year ago.

“I didn’t really see him at weekends because I was out and he was at church so me and another fella went to a meeting with him on a Monday night because we wanted to spend time with him,” he said.

“He was always praying for us and said prayers can be answered.”

June added: “He wanted them to have the same happiness he’d found. The fact that he got saved is our only comfort.”

She also revealed he had also found happiness with his girlfriend of over a year. “He adored her and she adored him,” she said and revealed that the couple had been up in the aircraft with Hugh in the past.

“He was really excited about the trip to the Isle of Man,” she added.

Throughout the day a steady stream of friends and members of the wider family circle called at the Burden family home to pay their respects.

Lifelong friend Gary Wortley, who played football with Andrew and his brother Stephen for Annalong Swifts, paid tribute to Andrew’s sporting talent.

“He was an amazing footballer and he and his brother Stephen are the two stars of the team.

“Nobody could say a bad word about him. He was a very easy person to get on with.”

Another friend, William Ochiltree, added that at a recent prizegiving dinner held for the club, Andrew missed out on an award that was scooped by his brother Stephen.

“It was the first year he didn’t win an award,” he said. The friends also recalled a recent quiz night Andrew had organised to raise funds for the club.

“He was in a panic that nobody would turn up but there wasn’t a seat left,” June said.

Rev Stuart Finlay, the minister of Annalong Presbyterian Church where both Andrew and Hugh worshipped, paid tribute to both men.

“Hugh was an elder in the church and was very well known in the community,” he said. “He was a lovely

outgoing man. Andrew was a very talented footballer and a BB officer who grew up in the church.

“This is a total loss for us,” he said.

He added that it would take time for people to come to terms with the tragic event.

“There is a total sense of unreality and shock in the community,” he said.

“This is going to take time to sink in and because of the circumstances we are not sure when the remains will be returned, which adds to the trauma.” Tributes were also paid to Ballymartin man Stephen Annett, also a keen footballer who shared a love of motorbikes with Hugh and Andrew.

Stanley McConnell, Secretary of Ballyvea Football Club that Stephen recently joined, said he was a valuable member of the team.

“Stephen was quiet and unassuming and very easy to get on with,” he said.

“The last time I saw Stephen was at the North West 200 and I also saw him with Andrew at Tandragee.

“He and his father Stanley worked together at McConnell and Son’s stonemasons in Kilkeel and they were involved with the granite memorial for Princess Diana as well as many other projects.

“His family will miss him very much.

“This tragedy has stunned Annalong and Ballymartin and the three families are hurting for each other as well as themselves.”