A grandfather-of-eight who died after collapsing while walking his dog was “made of gold", says his grieving wife of almost 40 years.

Peter Bentley, from Deal, had been out with his Australian Shepherd dog Bilbo in St Richard’s Road in the town on December 14 when he suddenly fell ill, and sadly died just minutes later having suffered a heart attack.

A retired worker at Tilmanstone Colliery who also spent two decades at Southern Water, the 67-year-old was a hugely popular figure in the area, and news of his death prompted hundreds of online tributes.

Reflecting on his life, his widow Vee told KentOnline she was “certainly better off for having had him” in her life.

“He was made of gold. I could not ask for a better husband,” she said.

“We're all feeling a little bit like, ‘That can't be right, it can't have happened’.

“It's just too soon. He was 67 but he seemed younger than that. He didn't seem like he was old enough to go.

“He was so peaceful and so gentle, we still very much loved each other and he was very good at showing that.”

A keen sportsman, Peter supported Tottenham Hotspur, was a skittles player in the Dover league and even owned shares in racehorses.

After being forced into early retirement due to health issues, Peter found time to engage in Christianity and helped Vee at the Dover Outreach Centre, guiding the homeless into work – though this stopped during the pandemic.

Peter worked hard to battle against health woes, recovering from multiple surgeries to spend hours a day walking his beloved dog – a hobby which gave him a new sense of purpose.

He was also described as a skilled stonemason and with three children and eight grandchildren –between the ages of 25 and 14 – Peter often enjoyed the company of his large family.

Having died so suddenly, the Bentley family were shocked to learn Peter suffered from coronary artery disease which had played a part when he collapsed just days before Christmas.

It has led to his widow urging those with pains and aches to get them checked out, with a newly-acquired backache which may have been a warning sign being ignored by Peter due to his years of suffering from arthritis.

“It was quite a sudden, unexpected death from a heart attack,” said Vee.

“He went out perfectly as normal, and just 20 yards from home, fell in the road.

“We expected that it was going to be something, you know, catastrophic and sudden but it wasn't.

“He had no idea that he had this wrong with him.

“It's all very easy, isn't it, to think it's just this or it's just that because we've got to this age.

“But it isn't always that simple and realising that could have made a difference.”

Peter's burial will take place at 11am on Wednesday, January 15 at Hamilton Road Cemetery in Deal, followed by a celebration of life service at Betteshanger Sports and Social Club in Cavell Square.

The family have requested no flowers but would welcome donations which will be used to fund a defibrillator near St Richard’s Road where Peter died.