A TAXI company has paid respects to a colleague who died in an earthquake that hit Albania last year.

001 Taxis has unveiled a memorial bench at its headquarters in Bishops Mews, Oxford for Klement Cupi.

Around 40 people attended including his fiancée, Ioridona Suluka, cousins Marenglen Cupi and Artur Cupi and uncle Mevlan Karaj.

Office staff and drivers that knew Mr Cupi also paid homage to him.

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Aaron Singh, general manager at the taxi company, first met Mr Cupi nearly 18 years ago when he used to manage the Red Lion pub - formerly The Goose - off Gloucester Green, and come in to the depot after his late night shift with his friends.

He said in his tribute that Mr Cupi was a 'lovely bubbly character' who was loved by everyone and that the garden area, bench and plaque is a tribute to him which will allow drivers, staff and family to 'come and sit with him'.

Oxford Mail:

He also said: "He [Mr Cupi] was difficult at times and loved to call the controller on a regular basis even though just a week before he sadly passed, I told him to stop ringing the controller all the time.

"I even asked him if he would spare an hour to come and sit alongside the controller to answer the driver’s line to see the impact of drivers calling for non-emergency matters.

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"He agreed he would come in upon his return from Albania.

"He will always be remembered."

Mr Cupi was on the second day of a visit to his family when the earthquake struck on November 26.