Haydyn Vintiner was found dead at his home in Herne Bay

by Ed Targett
A distraught couple have returned home to Kent to bury their son - and revealed he was found dead with a knife wound to the heart.

But Haydyn Vintiner's parents Leon and Jeanette are still waiting for answers about what happened on the night he died.

They say they have been told a knife severed a major artery in the 39-year-old's heart, but an interim death certificate still shows the "precise medical cause of death has yet to be determined".

They returned to Herne Bay this week from their home in Spain to bury Haydn.

As they prepare for his funeral on Tuesday, the retired couple said they miss their "hard-working, gentle son" and his "wicked sense of humour".

Simone Vintiner with her parents Leon and Jeanette, who flew over from Spain for their son Haydyn's funeral

Former maintenance worker Leon, who lives with Jeanette in Cadiz, Spain, said they have been overwhelmed by the support they have received in Herne Bay.

He said: "We didn't know how popular he was; there has been a collection at The Rodneys pub towards the funeral costs and people have been so good.

"Woody (landlord Alan Woods) said it was like a 'light had gone off' in the Bay when Haydyn died.

"He was a lovely lad. He was very shy when he was young, which people now find hard to believe!

"He was a worker – he always had something going on, plastering, scaffolding or odd-jobs and he had a wicked sense of humour."

His tearful mum Jeanette said: "We have heard so many great stories from his friends here. We are going to collect them and make a book.

"He was a really gentle man; the sort who would never lift so much as a finger in anger."

Haydyn Vintiner was found dead in Central Parade, Herne Bay

Popular dad-of-two Haydyn was found dead in his flat in Central Parade on Saturday, September 15.

Incredibly, Haydyn's sister Simone, 43, only found out about his death on Facebook and had to wait almost 12 hours before police would confirm it, despite pacing frantically outside his taped-off flat.

She said: "I had a call from one of his friends saying you better get to his flat.

"I got there and there were police forensics vans everywhere.

"I was screaming, I was sitting in the gutter crying and trying to find out. They wouldn't tell me anything and it wasn't until 11.30pm that night that they finally told me."

Haydyn's funeral will be held at Barham Crematorium on Tuesday at 4pm, with his family asking men to wear black ties.

Haydyn Vintiner's girlfriend Sarah Avey was arrested after his death and released on bail.