A FORMER colleague of Costas Pierides has said he was “not completely surprised” by the tragedy.

Mystery surrounds the death of the father and daughter, who are believed to have resolved their differences in the past month.

Mr Pierides had run a series of health-related businesses over the years, having previously been based in Harringey, north London, where he ran Bottle Gas 2000.

Greg Gregory, whose company was based in a building next door to Mr Pierides in north London during 1995, told the East Anglian Daily Times that he thought the father of five was “very highly strung”.

He added: “There was something uneasy about him, but he was a very smiley and cheerful character at the same time.

“He was a bundle of joy to be around and he liked to be the centre of attention, but it would be very over the top and quite overwhelming and unnerving sometimes.

“When I first heard, I was not completely surprised, I imagine he could be quite controlling.”

Mr Pierides’ latest venture was Door 2 Door Ltd, an independent ambulance company that provided specialist transport to the private and public sectors.

The business was started in 2002 by Mr Pierides and his wife Bernadette, who were both also the directors of sister company, Door 2 Door Care Services Ltd, which provides care in the community to older generations and vulnerable adults through local authorities.

Mr Gregory, who lives in London, later said: “Costas was a real go-getter, and he would always get to the top because he had a flair to do things, but he would burn himself out.”

He is also believed to have been the director of Zany Services.