UK shooting victim's family lament 'cruel, tragic' loss

The family of Briton Stephen Ashton, who was killed by a stray bullet during a New Year's countdown party on Pha-ngan Island in Surat Thani, said in a statement that they were completely devastated by their loss.

"He has been taken away from us in such cruel and tragic circumstances in which he was an innocent bystander simply enjoying New Year celebrations," the family said in a statement.

"We are comforted in the thought that he was having a fantastic time with friends after such a difficult period following the loss of his much-loved Dad, who passed away from a brain tumour in 2011, and the loss of his granddad a few months earlier."

He was missed as a much-loved son, brother, grandson and nephew, they said.

"We cannot comprehend how someone can carry out such a reckless act, giving such little value to human life," the statement said.

His sister Emily, 20, had difficulty describing the family's feelings to the Daily Mail.

"It is such a shock and the family are still trying to get their heads round it. It hasn't sunk in. He was just on a holiday and we are trying to come to terms with it," she said.

Tributes have poured in for Ashton on Facebook. Close friend Tayler Mitchell, 22, said, "He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I don't think anyone can believe it's happened."