A popular former Canterbury schoolboy has died while visiting Thailand.

Talented footballer James Sparks, who was in his early 30s, died unexpectedly in Bangkok on June 7.

Mr Sparks, who was an academic high achiever, went to the Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys and left after doing his A-levels.

He later gained a first class honours degree in history at the highly-rated King’s College London university.

Langton deputy head Ken Moffat said after learning of his death: “I remember James as a lovely young man; always polite and charming and willing to take everything the Langton could offer him.

“I taught him A-level and he was a regular for the first soccer XI. In short, he was the epitome of everything a boy of the school should have been at the time.

“It is desperately sad to hear this news and the colleagues that were here during his day are genuinely moved this morning.”

Mr Spark’s family flew out to Thailand from their home in Birchington after being told of his tragic death.

Speaking shortly after arriving back in the UK on Friday, Mr Sparks’s mother Lynn Sparks said his death had been from natural causes.

“It is desperately sad to hear this news and the colleagues that were here during his day are genuinely moved this morning" - Ken Moffat

She added: “The family wish to thank all of the hundreds of messages of sympathy for James.

“He had numerous friends, including many from King’s College in London, where he gained a first honours degree in history.

“James will be greatly missed by his family and friends.”

Georgina Barker, a spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, said: “We can confirm the death of a British national in Bangkok, Thailand on June 7.

“We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time.”

Mr Sparks grew up in Broomfield, near Herne Bay, but was living with his family in Birchington at the time of his death.