KENT County Cricket Club's annual meeting was overshadowed by the sudden death of a stalwart member who collapsed during the proceedings.

The meeting, held in the Harris Room of the Sir Colin Cowdrey stand of Kent's Canterbury headquarters, was temporarily adjourned when life member Jeff Snowden was taken ill.

The 80-year-old from North Cray, a dapper, retired banker, had just made an ebullient speech at Monday night's meeting asking, among other things, for the committee to re-consider a proposed amendment to the club constitution.

Within a minute of having his say, Mr Snowden collapsed into the central aisle of the room and was immediately tended by the county club's honorary medical officer Richard Collins, a surgeon at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital.

Paramedics arrived within 10 minutes and, as the meeting continued, it was initially believed they had managed to revive the former supporters' club committee member with oxygen.

However, members were later told that Mr Snowden had died and the meeting concluded with a minute's silence in his memory.

Former Kent County Cricket Supporters' Club chairman, Brian Rudd from Gillingham, said Mr Snowden was one of the longest serving members of the club and would be sadly missed. He added: "He was a very keen supporter and he and his wife Carmen were there for practically every match.

"They used to park their car up near the boundary and were regular visitors to our club marquees. He was a supporter in the true sense."