A talented vet who first discovered mad cow disease has died.

Colin Whitaker was working at a farm in High Halden, in Ashford, in April 1985 when he noticed a cow displaying strange neurological symptoms, which turned out to be the first recorded case of the neurodegenerative disease, formally referred to as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).

It was thanks to the vet’s insistence that he was witnessing a new disease and his dedicated research that the government took BSE seriously.

His work has been described as “one of the greatest contributions to human health in a generation”.

The dad to two sons lived in the hamlet of Woodchurch, Ashford, and died on March 6 aged 83, having suffered a heart attack while asleep on the train home from a black-tie dinner in London.

His grieving son Ian Whittaker, who lives in Sheffield, said “He was such a big character.

“It's just left such a hole and it's just difficult to comprehend.

“But, I take comfort in the fact that if you were to choose a way, what a way to go - a black tie event, having seen all your old pals.

“We had seen him the weekend before and he was in good form.

“It was just completely out of the blue - a complete shock.”

Mr Whitaker was born in Bromley but moved to east Kent and studied at Chatham House school in Ramsgate.

He then went on to the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and started his career with animals, working for Sambrook Practice in Ashford - where he stayed until his retirement aged 60.

His son recalled: “He was old school and dedicated to his job.

“He used to work over the Christmas period and many times he would get called out at two on Christmas morning to go and do a milk fever or something.

“He absolutely loved his work and missed it every single day that he retired.

“Growing up as a young child it was just fantastic. Dad always had the coolest job.”

The respected vet’s focus was on large farm animals, usually cows, and in 1985 he was called out to a herd where cattle were acting spooked, aggressive and on edge.

He ruled out common illnesses and quickly realised he was dealing with a new neurological disease.

He sent a cow head to government scientists, who confirmed this and discovered it was a prion disease - where proteins ‘go wrong’ and make tiny, sponge-like holes in the brain.

Mr Whitaker then gave the first scientific paper on the new discovery in 1987.

In more recent years, he took part in many talks and interviews on his work - including for the BBC Radio 4 podcast The Cows Are Mad in 2023.

In 2015, he was awarded an honorary degree by the RVC.

RVC President Stuard Reid said: “Many will be unaware of Colin’s many contributions to animal health but by far the most significant was his identification of a case of BSE.

“He knew he was looking at something new and his persistence saw the disease investigated, described and ultimately controlled.

“There is no doubt Colin’s clinical acumen and commitment resulted in one of the greatest contributions to human health in a generation.”

Besides his achievements in medicine, Mr Whitaker is described as a wonderful husband to wife Jennifer and father.

Ian said: “He was just a fabulous dad. He was so cuddly.

“He always had a good story and loved to talk.

“My mum sadly passed away in November 2023.

“When she became poorly, he just delved into it and became just such a wonderful carer for her.”