Neil Finn has lead the tributes to his former Split Enz and Crowded House bandmate Paul Hester who was found dead last Saturday in Melbourne’s Elsternwick Park.

It appears that the 46-year-old drummer, who had a history of depression, hung himself from a tree while taking his two dogs for a walk.

“I’m devastated,” says Finn. “I have lost one of my best mates. Over the years Paul has swung the extremes of happiness and sadness, but none of us ever thought this would happen. He loved life so much. Our hearts go out to all of Paul’s family.”

Currently on a tour with his brother Tim that brings him to Cork on April 3 and Belfast the following night, the singer adds:

“(Crowded House bassist) Nick Seymour will be joining Tim and me here in London today to share our grief. The Finn Brothers shows this week at the Royal Albert Hall will go ahead as we don’t know what else to do at this time other than to be with those close to us and Paul and to play music to remember him.”

Neil finished by directing fans to the special forum that’s been set up on the www.frenz.com website.

Having played on such worldwide Crowded House hits as ‘Take The Weather With You’, ‘Four Seasons In One Day’ and ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’, Hester quit the band in 1994 citing the pressures of touring. He subsequently carved a career out for himself as a TV and radio presenter, but last year expressed the desire to get back behind his kit.

Away from the worlds of music and media, Hester had recently broken up with the Australian singer, Kashan, whom he’d planned to marry in May.