A journalist well known across Kent who spent his career championing the agricultural industry, has died.

Ray Vale passed away on October 14. He was 87.

Born in Llwchwr near Swansea, in Wales, he completed his National Service in the RAF at North Creake near Walsingham, before moving with his parents to Maidstone, where his father became the minister at the Pentacostal Church in Brewer Street.

Mr Vale then took a diploma in agricultural science at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester.

He worked briefly as a farm labourer, before joining a press agency, Agroup, promoting large corporations such as Ciba-Geigy, Esso, BT and Tate and Lyle.

In the mid-1970s, he joined the Kent Messenger as reporter, working in particular on its farming and sports pages.

He left to become the editor of South East Farmer magazine, which he founded along with former Kent Messenger editor Jim Thompson.

In the mid-1980s, Mr Vale decided to go freelance and wrote articles for a number of publications, including The Grower magazine, Fresh Produce Journal, The Fruit Grower magazine and The Vegetable Farmer, as well as broadcasting for Radio Kent.

He also became the publicity officer for the Marden Fruit Show Society, which runs the National Fruit Show, a position he held for 26 years until 2010.

He was perhaps most widely known as the publicity officer for the Kent County Show, a position he held concurrently.

In 1998, the Guild of Agricultural Journalists presented him with the Netherthorpe Award for his outstanding and sustained contribution to agricultural communications.

Away from journalism, Mr Vale's life-long interest was rugby.

Having played at school and college in Wales, he joined Maidstone Rugby Club on moving to the county town, playing flanker in the second XV. He was soon also doing the club's publicity and went on to serve as both the club's vice-president and president.

On hearing news of his death, the club lowered its flag to half-mast and held a one minute's silence at their next match.

Mr Vale married Iris Potts in 1961 and they had two children, Merrilyn and Philip, but the couple divorced 40 years ago, and she had pre-deceased him.

His son Philip said: “He was a proud Welshman and always very passionate about his interests – agriculture and rugby.

"He occasionally rubbed people up the wrong way because he had strong views that he liked to express, but people always respected his breadth of knowledge and commitment.

"He also loved his family – we had some great family holidays together – and in later years he particularly enjoyed being with his four grandchildren."

Mr Vale began to develop dementia around 10 years ago. He continued to live independently at his home in Mereworth until the start of the year when he moved into the Loose Court Care Home in Maidstone.

His funeral is on Friday, November 11, at 1.15pm at Vinters Park Crematorium.