The heartbroken daughter of a pensioner who died on Wednesday, after being punched at the weekend, has described him as a “gentle giant” who was well known in the community.

Anthony ‘Tony’ Miskimmon, 74, was punched in the head and knocked unconscious on Station Road in Antrim town on Saturday.

He died in hospital on Wednesday, his daughter said.

A man appeared in court on Monday charged with grievous bodily harm in connection with the incident.

On Sunday morning Mr Miskimmon’s daughter, Lani, heard the news about her father’s injuries.

Speaking to the Nolan Show Lani said that “never in a million years would I have thought I’d have that call”.

When Lani asked the doctor if her father would make it, the doctor said he had a 1% chance of survival.

Lani, who lives in Australia, flew immediately to Northern Ireland to visit her father in hospital.

Lani was shown a scan of her father’s brain which, she said, showed “catastrophic blood all over the brain.

Mr Miskimmon died “peacefully” on Wednesday night.

Lani described her father as a “big character” who loved his grandchildren, daughters and dogs.

She last spoke to him on Saturday morning, while he was eating breakfast and getting ready to go to The Dockers Club.

The two had discussed plans for him to fly to Australia to see his grandchildren again soon.

“He loved his girls,” Lani said about her father adding: “I never went a day without knowing how much I was loved”.

Lani said the family are “beyond devastated” at his death.