Kiwi dies after vault over wall

Ben Turrall. Photo / Supplied

A young Kiwi due home this week for Christmas with his family has died in Melbourne after hitting his head while vaulting over a wall.

Ben Turrall, 24, suffered massive head injuries in the incident on November 28 and died on December 5.

"Ben was the sort of guy that would often do something that looked very risky, but he calculated the risk in his head," said his father Tom. "But he got it wrong this time."

He said Ben and a friend ran across a Melbourne street and vaulted over a wall, only to find a 6m drop on the other side. "It was a very Ben thing to do."

His friend landed on his feet and walked away, but Ben landed on his head. "It was a sad and tragic mistake."

Tom warned other young men to be more careful. "Have fun, but really think about these things before you do them."

Ben left home at 19 and lived in Australia for several years, first on the Gold Coast before moving to Melbourne to work as a scaffolder.

He was patriotic and kept the New Zealand flag pinned to the wall of his flat.

Before bringing home his body, his family held a memorial service at his favourite pub, The Evelyn on Melbourne's Brunswick St. About 200 people packed in to pay their respects.

Tom said his son loved people and would buy food for the homeless.

"He was a big man with a huge heart. He enjoyed his short time with us to the max."

Ben's funeral was held at the Raiders Rugby League Club in Whangaparaoa on Thursday. About 700 people attended the service at the club where Ben played loose forward as a boy.