A man who was at centre of hundreds of community events across the Maidstone area has died.

Dave Stephens had a passion for all things to do with Hi Fi, amplifiers and speakers, and so provided the public address system on innumerable events from village fetes and conferences, to steam fairs and air shows.

He was a familiar face in many communities.

He was often at Ditton in the Community Centre and provided the sound for the Carols on the Green at Christmas.

For many years he and the family turned out on New Years Day to give a sound system to the annual Sutton Valence Charity Pram Race.

The Sellindge Steam fair was another regular event as were family fun days at the Hop Farm at Beltring.

He regularly worked at The Military Odyssey at the county showground and that tradition continues this year with his son Matt at the helm.

His wife, Pam Stephens, said: "For year we would be out somewhere every weekend during the summer, Dave in the control box and me often in the ring commentating. Our children grew up thinking that was a normal life."

Mr Stephens was born on September 8, to Vera and Cyril Stephens.

He was the baby of the family and adored his big brother, John, who was eight years older.

Mr Stephens attended St Paul's Infants, North Borough Juniors and Vinters Secondary School in Maidstone before becoming an apprentice electrician at W.F. Pocock, then in Lower Stone Street, Maidstone.

As a teenager, he joined the Howard de Walden Youth Club where he made many friends and met Pam Brooks.

After a seven-year courtship, they married in 1975 and have continued as a couple for another 47 years.

They started married life in Charles Street, Maidstone, but moved to the Tonbridge Road in Barming where they have lived in the same house for more than 30 years.

Mr Stephens started his own electrical contracting business, David Stephens Audio and Visual Services. The business thrived and he never retired.

In the end he was forced to stop working through ill health, but he didn't start drawing his State Pension until he was 70.

He was especially enthusiastic about the Maidstone River Festival, providing it with a sound system for 29 festivals and becoming vice chairman of the committee that made it a key event in Maidstone.

His wife was always by his side, often commentating events, coiling the cables and ensuring everyone was fed and watered.

As the years went on, Mr Stephens joined the Round Table and made a whole lot more friends, who knew him as "Sparky."

Mr and Mrs Stephens had two children: Helen born in 1982 and Matthew in 1986.

While Helen became a teacher, Matthew followed his father into the family business, which is continuing under his leadership today.

Mr Stephens had two grandchildren: Fern, five, and Ivy, two.

He had suffered with diverticular disease for several years, but became more seriously ill from September 2020. He was diagnosed with cancer and was in and out of hospital for a series of three major operations.

His wife said: "The official cause of death was pneumonia, but it was cancer that was the villain in the story."

He died in Maidstone Hospital on August 13, aged 72.

His cremation will be on Monday, September 19, at 2.45pm at Vinters Crematorium.

The former Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Dave Naghi, who is the current chairman of the River Festival committee, said: "Dave Stephens was one of the nicest people ever. He always saw the best in everyone and would do anything to help."

He said: "He was a real community stalwart. Maidstone will miss him."

Mrs Stephens said: "He was a lovely man, but a man without ego – happy to give his time and efforts for everyone and anyone, but to also always be in the background.

"He was my world."