A fund-raiser who put up Christmas lights at his home for charity each year has died, just a week after this year’s switch-on.

Brian Gilbert, 70, who annually illuminated his house and garden to raise cash for Ashford Pilgrim’s Hospice, died suddenly last Sunday .

Now his widow says the lights at their home in Church Hill, Kingsnorth, will stay on in tribute to her husband.

Ann Gilbert, 66, said: “I will leave the lights on until New Year’s Day. It’s what he would have wanted. It will be in tribute to him and also to continue to raise money for charity.”

Mr Gilbert died of a heart attack on Sunday night, eight days after the switch-on on December 6.

The couple had originally decided not to continue the tradition this year because of the cost of electricity rocketing and Mr Gilbert suffering a stroke last year.

He also had a history of heart trouble.

But they were persuaded to carry on by supporters and agreed to try to top the £300 figure raised for the hospice last year.

The Gilberts had been decorating their house since 1997 and have used the lights to aid the hospice since 2006, when they collected almost £100 in the first week.

The couple had been married for 20 years and Mr Gilbert, a retired warehouseman and lorry driver, had lived in Kingsnorth all his life.

He had three daughters, Jackie Catt, 47, Tina Gilbert, 42, and Tracy Gilbert, 40. Ann is their stepmother.

Tina said: “He was an extremely popular man in the town who made everybody laugh. He was joyous and fun loving and a very loved man.”

The funeral is at Kingsnorth Church at 3pm next Tuesday (December 23) and then Charing Crematorium with the wake at the Singleton Barn at Hoxton Close, Singleton.

Family flowers only are requested and mourners are invited to give donations to the British Heart Foundation.