HEART-felt tributes have been paid to an award-winning Kent journalist who died suddenly after a short illness.

Jonathan Witchell, 33, who was born and raised in Kent, died on Saturday.

He joined BBC Radio Kent nearly 10 years ago as a broadcast journalist, who was known as gaining great affection from both listeners and colleagues.

Jonathan from Sevenoaks, ignited his passion for broadcasting with Hospital Radio Bromley before starting his career as a broadcast assistant at BBC Radio Devon, then moving to BBC Radio Lincolnshire.

In 1998, Jonathan landed at BBC Radio Kent where he worked with award-winning broadcaster, Barbara Sturgeon, now the Kent Messenger’s Group columnist, as one of her roving reporters.

She said: "I like everyone else, am deeply devastated at the untimely death of Jonathan, and my heart goes out to his loving family.

"When he joined BBC Radio Kent, he worked on my programme, and immediately showed the enthusiasm and good nature that was to see him develop into the first class, award winning producer and presenter he later became."

Last year, Jonathan spent a year abroad ,working with new journalists in Sri Lanka, leading him to working on the BBC World Service where his reports were heard by millions around the world.

Miss Sturgeon added: "During his time working in Sri Lanka, he sent back the most wonderful, illustrative emails about his experiences and would have made a first class travel writer.

"Jonathan was a truly decent young man, who packed more action into the latter years of his too short life, than most of us could hope to.

"Right from the start I gave him the name Darling Rocky, which he happily adopted for the remainder of our friendship. This is such a sad loss. I shall never forget him."

Paying tribute to Jonathan, BBC Radio Kent managing editor Paul Leaper said: "This has been one of the hardest weeks in Radio Kent’s history. Jonathan will be remembered as someone who loved Kent and loved radio.

"He had creative flair and scrupulous attention to detail. He was simply one of the station’s best all rounders.

"I know he’ll be sorely missed by all his colleagues and listeners to BBC Radio Kent. Our hearts to go out to his family at this difficult time."

Details of Jonathan’s funeral are yet to be confirmed. However if listeners wish to offer their condolences BBC Radio Kent will pass them on his family.

Please write to BBC Radio Kent, The Great Hall, Mount Pleasant Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1QQ, or email radio.kent@bbc.co.uk

Some of Jonathan’s many achievements

For many years Jonathan produced the Saturday Carry-On with Paul James and Paul Harris where his outside broadcast trips to France with the boys became an annual event.

Regular listeners will also remember his Sunday afternoon programme which saw Jonathan interviewing an array of local celebrities in the Music Room.

Behind the scenes, Jonathan was also responsible for some of the most memorable highlights of the station’s output.

His documentary about James Bond in Kent - won him the accolade of Kent Broadcast Journalist of the Year.

This summer he masterminded a unique collaboration between Dave Cash and Johnnie Walker to mark the 40th anniversary of the abolition of Pirate Radio.