by Chris Hunter

chunter@thekmgroup.co.uk

Tributes have been paid to a Maidstone man who died while walking home from a friend’s wedding along the M20.

Luke 'Dusty’ Watson, 25, died shortly after celebrating the marriage of friends Dan Goble and Tori Sales at the Ramada Hotel in Hollingbourne.

True to himself to the last, free-spirited Luke, 25, had chosen to take the shortest route back to his mum’s house, in Penenden Heath.

This week mum Julie Arnold said she knows her son died after a night doing what he did best – partying with pals – and that he died happy, with no regrets.

"He's gone doing what he wanted to be doing," she said.

"Walking along the motorway was not out of character, because choosing the shortest route was the sort of thing he would always do. I think there were plenty that would have given him a lift home, but he wouldn’t do that.

"That was him – if you said don't do that, he would do it twice.

"He lived life to the full and he lived life on the edge."

Former Maplesden Noakes pupil Luke worked as a street lighting engineer and was a keen footballer who played centre midfield for several Maidstone clubs.

This week an impromptu gathering of close friends grew into a party of 35.

And Maidstone should look out on Saturday - with many feeling upset about being left out of Tuesday's outing, the ranks of those celebrating his life are likely to swell, even before any funeral arrangements are made.

"Once he made a friend they were a friend for life," said mum Julie.