A BBC journalist turned media relations man who began his career in the local press has been named among the British victims of Malaysian Airways flight MH17

Glenn Thomas, pictured, started out on the Blackpool Citizen before moving to the BBC in the early 1990s.

The 49-year-old was named among nine British victims of the tragedy which occurred when the plane was shot-down over war-torn Ukraine.

Glenn, who had gone on to become a media relations co-ordinator with the World Health Organisation based in Geneva, boarded the Kuala Lumpur-bound flight en route to an international AIDS conference in Australia.

Among those paying tribute to Glenn was Debbie Butler, senior content editor of the Lancaster Guardian, who worked with Glenn at the Blackpool Citizen in the late 1980s.

She told the Guardian: “When I picture Glenn, he’s got this big smile and I remember the real hearty laugh he had that was infectious.

“I hadn’t seen Glenn for several years but ironically, he was coming up to the Lakes in September for his 50th birthday and there were plans for us to meet up.

“Sadly, that won’t happen now but I remember Glenn with great fondness, and my thoughts go out to his family and all those who will miss him.”

The plane came down in Eastern Ukraine on Thursday killing all 295 people on board, nine of them Britons.

After hearing news of the crash Glenn’s family had to wait for confirmation that he had boarded the flight.

According to the Blackpool Gazette, the authorities confirmed the news late on Thursday night and that Glenn was indeed among those feared killed in the tragedy.

It is understood he has a twin sister, Tracey, who still lives in Blackpool. He was not married and did not have children.

Glenn had worked at the WHO for more than ten years after a stint working for the United Nations.

Paying tribute to him, WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib said: “We have lost a wonderful person and a great professional. Our hearts are broken. We are all in shock.”

Timothy O’Leary, communications team leader at the WHO’s Western Pacific office, wrote on Twitter: “I grieve for my friend and former WHO colleague Glenn Thomas who died in the missile attack on MH17 over Ukraine.”

BBC TV news editor Rachel Kennedy wrote: “Horrified to discover lovely Glenn Thomas on MH17. Always a smiling face, will be hugely missed.”