A WELL-KNOWN character in a Kent town died alone and may have been lying dead in his flat for more than a week before anybody noticed.

The body of Teddy Payne, 77, was only discovered in his home in Brook Road on the North Preston estate at Faversham when a passing social worker, visiting another property, recognised the smell of a decomposing body.

Police broke down the front door and found Mr Payne, who was a well known personality around town for his long hair and baseball cap, slumped in his living room.

Friends and family were shocked that Mr Payne, who was an alcoholic, could have been dead for some time while life around him went on as normal.

Neighbours don’t remember seeing him since Christmas. Mr Payne had discharged himself from hospital in recent months after a collapse outside the Co-op and had refused help from Kent Social Services.

Born in North Road, Mr Payne left Faversham District School at 14 and worked at the Whitbred Fremlins brewery and later became the projectionist at the Argosy cinema. He never married.

A spokesman for Social Services said: “We are very sorry to hear of the death of Mr Payne. We had contact with him in April last year when we offered him services which he declined. We can only offer services, we cannot force people to take them.”

His brother Clifford who lives in Bensted Grove said he wished his brother had come to live with him. “He was a bit of a loner and I last saw him a couple of months ago, but we more or less kept apart.

“If he could have been up here with me, maybe he would be alive now.”