A DYNAMIC Kent businessman who was smuggled out of Hungary with the help of 10-pin bowlers and vodka-smashed guards has died at the age of 81.

Alex de Gelsey, the son of a baron, founded Sericol, a specialist printing inks business, in 1951 with an investment of just £3,000.

He went on to be awarded the CBE and become a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent.

He turned Sericol, based in Broadstairs and worldwide, into a multi-million pound industry leader. It won three Queen’s awards, has sales of £150million and employs 1,200 people.

Baron de Gelsey was known across the county for his business acumen and voluntary work for enterprise, education and health. However, none of this would have happened if he had not decided to smuggle himself aboard a coach taking the Budapest 10-pin bowling team to Vienna.

He had no interest in bowling but was determined to escape life under Russian Communist rule.

The team gave bottles of vodka to the border guards and de Gelsey managed to slip past them. He then hitched a lift to England on an RAF cargo plane.

After working for Kodak on a printing ink project, he set up his own business to develop the process.

De Gelsey went on to play an active role in Hungarian and Kent issues.

He was chairman of East Kent Enterprise Agency, a founder member of Kent Community Housing Trust, and a council member of the University of Kent. He was a member of the South East Health Authority and raised funds for the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.

The Prince of Wales acknowledged his work, and the President of Hungary granted him two decorations.

Ed Carhart, Fujifilm Sericol’s chief executive, said: "People from many walks of life will sadly miss Alex de Gelsey. It is with great pride that I, and many others, have had the privilege to have known and worked with him.

"Alex’s imprint remains to this day on virtually every aspect of the company and the screen printing industry."

Baron de Gelsey leaves a widow and daughter.

Family, colleagues and friends attended a service of thanksgiving for Baron de Gelsey’s life and work at the church of St Peter and St Paul, Boughton under Blean, near Faversham, on April 28.