DEVASTATED friends and colleagues have paid tribute to a school teacher who has died in hospital following a road accident.

Roger Howells, 55, had been at Simon Langton Boys' School in Canterbury for 15 years as head of an expanding IT department and maths teacher. He was also head of Years 10 and 11.

He died after spending four days in a critical state at Ashford's William Harvey Hospital after his Honda motorbike collided with a van on the A28 Canterbury Road.

Mr Howells was just a few miles from his Bilting home when the accident happened at the Godmersham crossroads.

Simon Langton's deputy head Roger MacKay said: "Roger was one of the finest men I have known, both professionally and as a close friend. His kindness and friendship were instinctive. Students, parents and colleagues all warmed to him.

"He loved the company of youngsters and had the gift of knowing when to use humour, honesty, gentle persuasion or straight talking to guide them through life's difficulties. His absence leaves a huge gap in the life of so many who have known him."

Mr Howells went to school in his native Wrexham before teacher training in Bangor, North Wales.

On moving to Kent in 1970 he took up a position as head of PE at the former Stour Valley School in Chartham, where he stayed for 19 years.

Among those to have benefited from his guidance is the former Kent and England cricketer, Mark Ealham, now at Nottinghamshire.

With one eye on retirement, Mr Howells had given up full teaching duties last year to become the Langton's IT network manager.

Mr Howells leaves a widow, Teri, a theatre sister at Kent and Canterbury Hospital, and two sons, Matthew, a Royal Marine serving in Iraq, and Chris. All were by his bedside when he died.

The funeral is being held on Monday at Godmersham church at 3pm. The school will close as a mark of respect.