Tributes to West Midlands Fire chief found dead after investigation into claims he lied on his CV about having a masters degree and playing for Charlton Athletic to get £180k job

Leading firefighters from across the country have paid tribute to a West Midlands fire chief found dead after an investigation was launched into claims he had lied on his CV about about having a masters degree and playing for Charlton Athletic.

Wayne Brown, who was hired as chief of West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority last year, was accused of lying about his qualifications and playing for Charlton Athletic when applying for the £180,000-a-year job.

The firefighter, who was part of the London Fire Brigade for 27 years until switching to the West Midlands service in 2019, had impressed superiors with his Master of Business Administration degree from London South Bank University.

But an investigation was launched after his alleged alma mater said it had no record of his degree, with the fire chief removing them from his LinkedIn account shortly afterwards.

Fire services from across the UK rushed to pay tribute as condolences poured in from forces in Gloucestershire, Durham and Darlington, Berkshire, Leicestershire, Greater Manchester, Tyne and Wear, Avon, Cleveland, London, Cumbria, and HM Chief Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services is Andy Cooke.

Separately, Mr Brown was involved in a court case in which a man was charged with harassment against him, the BBC reported.

Mr Brown had been under investigation by the fire service after claims he had mislead his employers about his qualifications.

In addition to queries about his academic achievements, concerns were raised by colleagues who said Brown claimed to have been a former professional footballer for Charlton Athletic.

It has since been revealed that he only played as part of the youth training scheme at the club and not in the pro division.

An insider told the Sun that Mr Brown was a 'prominent' figure who regularly toured fire stations, but had not been heard from since January 7 amid discontent in the force.

Mr Brown was part of the London Fire Brigade for 27 years until he switched to the West Midlands service in 2019, where he was Deputy Chief Fire Officer before his promotion last January.

West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority previously said Mr Brown 'has attended some of the UK's most significant operational incidents, including London terrorist attacks and the devastating Grenfell Tower fire' and is 'an ex-professional footballer with Uefa coaching qualifications'.

But on Tuesday it was said looking into the allegations that he lied about having a masters degree in a formal inquiry - if it is found that Brown lied about his qualification, this could amount to fraud by false representation.

In a statement released yesterday, West Midlands Fire Service said: 'We are aware of claims referencing our Chief Fire Officer and West Midlands Fire Service.

'Formal enquiries and processes, in line with our Fire Authority's constitution, are now ongoing in relation to the matters raised. We will undertake this thoroughly and fairly. In the meantime, we will not be commenting further.'