A coach driver who was crushed to death when a glass window fell more than 200 feet from the penthouse of a luxury apartment worked for a Sydenham-based coach company.

The man, named as 53-year-old Mick Ferris, was killed on Tuesday afternoon when he was struck by the five ft wide panel of glass which fell from the 27th floor of the building on Albert Embankment.

A police cordon was put in place at The Corniche development on the south bank of the Thames, opposite the Tate Britain gallery.

Several people have paid tribute to Mr Ferris after his tragic death, including fellow West Ham fan, James Corden.

Corden tweeted: "I'm so saddened by the passing of Mick Ferris. He was a huge West Ham fan and has passed away in the most sudden of circumstances.

"My thoughts are with his family and everyone who knew him. None of us are promised tomorrow. Tell your loved ones you love them today."

Following the incident, a co-worker who was next to the development situated beside the River Thames, described Mr Ferris as as "a really nice fellow" and said his death was a "tragedy".

Another colleague said: "Mick was a real nice fella - what happened is tragic.

"He was a lovely man, words fail me."

The driver's coach was parked opposite the spot where he was killed, in which he had hung a small West Ham United football shirt, and a sign saying 'Mick's Coach'.

A witness to the incident, who asked not to be named, said: "The man was a coach driver for Clarkes of London.

"He came out of the Riverbank Plaza Hotel and he was hit - he had been using the toilet.

"It is a big shock, nobody expects this to happen, especially round here."

Jermaine Dawes, 32, a builder who works near the scene, said: "I came back from lunch and I saw glass everywhere.

"Police were all over the road, he wasn't moving, it was such a mess.

"The man is dead, that's for sure; an ambulance came and picked him up."

He added: "They say it was a faulty panel, but that place has only just been done.

A Clarkes Of London spokeswoman said: "This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with the victim's family."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said his next of kin have been informed.

"At this early stage in the investigation, it is believed he was hit by something falling from a building," he added.

The Health and Safety Executive said it was making "initial inquiries" while in contact with the Met Police.

Forensic investigators were seen at the empty window frame.

A St James spokesman said: "We extend our deepest sympathies to his family at this incredibly difficult time.

"We are investigating this incident as a matter of urgency and working with the emergency services to establish what happened."

The Corniche is listed as an "exclusive riverside address" made up of 252 two, three, and four-bedroom apartments which overlook a number of London landmarks.

Designed by Foster + Partners, it is the same company responsible for the Gherkin, and properties are priced between £2.7 million and £6.25 million.