A POSTMAN collapsed and later died while out on his delivery round in a Kent village.

John Smith, 34, of Upper Fant Road, Maidstone, was delivering letters in Barming when he fell ill. He was taken to Maidstone Hospital where he later died.

His sudden death came only a month after his stepfather John Kitcat, 46, was admitted to hospital with septicemia and pneumonia.

Mr Smith’s mother, Tina, is now readying herself for the death of her husband of 27 years, while she tries to cope with the grief of losing her son.

The mother and grandmother has paid tribute to her fun-loving and carefree son who had lived with her all his life and died on her wedding anniversary, February 1.

Mrs Kitcat, 54, said: “It was a weak artery in his brain. It’s something people live with but it had just popped. Once it happens nobody can do anything.

“It was just totally out of the blue. He was just happy and carefree. He loved his job."

The grieving mother said her son, who also leaves behind girlfriend Jane Webb, had been hit hard by the news of his stepfather’s illness only the day before.

“He thought of him as a father,” she stressed. “They were very close and it upset him that his dad was in hospital."

Mr Smith went to Mangravet Primary School and St Michael’s Junior School in Maidstone. He then attended the town's Astor of Hever Community School.

FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK'S KENT MESSENGER