Boss in suicide tragedy.

TRIBUTES were being paid today to the popular boss of a major Midland department store found dead in his car shortly after announcing redundancies.

Chris Barnett, general manager of Beatties' flagship operation in Wolverhampton, was discovered dead just days after telling dozens of colleagues they were being made redundant.

The 56-year-old, of Codsall, was found with what have been described as "self-inflicted" injuries within the grounds of Chillington Hall, near Wolverhampton. The hall is the stately home of Staffordshire Police chief constable John Giffard. Mr Barnett was found dead in Foxes Lane on Saturday morning. Police are not treating the incident as suspicious. He had worked in retail for around 30 years and joined Beatties in Wolverhampton in 1996. A spokesman for House of Fraser, the group which owns Beatties following a takeover last year, said bosses were "deeply saddened" to hear of his death.

Margaret Corneby, Wolverhampton director for the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, said: "He was a super guy, very jolly and happy."

One member of staff at Beatties, who did not want to be named, said: "He was a lovely man and very caring. He found it hard that so many people were being got rid of."