Heartfelt tributes have been made by the family of Deal pub owner Paul Fielden after he died suddenly at his home in France.

Known affectionately as “Fee” by his many friends in Deal and Aylesham, Mr Fielden, 54, owned the Rose Hotel Pub in Deal High Street where he lived until he moved to Allonne in South West France.

His wife Josie, mother Jean, daughters and step daughter described a kind and generous man who “helped so many people out”.

His wife added: “He always worried about people, how they were and what would happen to them.”

Originally from Todmorden, West Yorkshire, Mr Fielden moved to Aylesham in 1966 when he was six with parents Linton and Jean.

“There was a softer side to him. He loved and cared for his family. He loved having animals" - Josie Fielden in tribute to husband Paul "Fee" Fielden

He played rugby and football for Snowdown, usually in goal. He attended Dover Grammar School for Boys and went on to work at Snowdown Colliery.

In 1986 he took redundancy and set up his own electrical firm which did well, enabling him to move into the pub trade.

After his parents moved to Deal in 1991, he and Josie decided to settle in Deal and he bought the Rose Hotel where the couple made, and kept, many friends.

When they decided to leave England for a more relaxed life in France, he leased the Rose to his friend, the current landlord, Steve Plews.

His wife Josie Fielden said: “There was a softer side to him. He loved and cared for his family. He loved having animals.”

They favoured boxer dogs and when they moved to France, also kept ducks, chickens and goats.

Mr Fielden was recovering from pancreatic cancer, having undergone an operation called a Whipple procedure in 2011.

He died suddenly on Friday, August 22. The cause of death has not yet been established but it is understood he suffered heart failure, possibly a complication of his condition.

Mr Fielden leaves a wife Josie, mother Jean, son Paul, 33, daughters Carly, 32 and Stacy, 30 and step children Adrian, 44, Melanie, 39, Mark 33. He had seven step-grandchildren, two great grandchildren and had his first grandchild was on the way.

The funeral will be held on Tuesday, September 16 at 2pm at Barham Crematorium followed by a wake at the Ratling Club, Ratling Road, Aylesham CT3 3HL.

Donations to Pancreatic Cancer UK via the family’s online fundraising pagehttp://tinyurl.com/k3vjevk