Tributes have been paid following the death of Captain John Carter – the driving force behind next year’s planned aviation centenary celebrations on the Isle of Sheppey.

The 69-year-old was found dead in the grounds of his home at 7.30am yesterday with serious head injuries. Police are not treating his death as suspicious.

Capt Carter had been reported missing after leaving his Warden Point home on Monday afternoon – telling his wife Kathleen he was going for a walk.

When he failed to return by 9.45pm, police were alerted and launched a search involving the Sheerness lifeboat, Sheppey Coastguard and a rescue helicopter from RAF Wattisham, Suffolk.

Shocked friends paid tribute to him when news of his death was released.

Gordon Henderson, the island’s parliamentary Tory candidate, said: "I’m absolutely devastated. I have known John for 30 years and he was one of the nicest, good humoured, hard-working gentlemen that you would ever know.

"He was a great friend of mine and a wonderful worker within the community. There are too few John Carters in this world."

Andy Booth, who worked with Capt Carter on the Aviation Centenary Committee, said: "He was a very close friend and I had enormous respect for the guy. He was a complete professional – dedicated to whatever he put his mind to.

"Our thoughts are with his wife Kath and the family at the moment."

In terms of Sky Sheppey, he said the committee intended to honour Capt Carter’s memory by continuing with the event.

Cllr John Morris, former Mayor of Swale, of Orchard Way, Eastchurch, said: “I am totally devastated because I have known John for 35 years and we had been good friends.

"He was a lovely man and was under immense pressure due to his involvement as chairman of the Sky Sheppey aviation committee. He was extremely busy with it all."

Capt Carter was a retired river pilot with P&O in the South China Sea.

He was a member of Eastchurch Parish Council, a long-term governor of Eastchurch Primary School and chairman of the Aviation Centenary Committee for the Sky Sheppey 2009 events.

Under his leadership, the committee hoped to host an event on the Island next July to celebrate 100 years since the first flight by a Briton in Britain.

Capt Carter was confident the event could attract upward of 10,000 visitors to Sheppey.

He leaves widow Kathleen, who is chairman of Eastchurch Parish Council, and son Robin.