THE chairman of the Kent Men of the Trees, Joe Hull, has died suddenly at the age of 72. Mr Hull, of Trottiscliffe Road, Addington, near West Malling, had a profound love for the countryside, which began when he was evacuated from his childhood home in Lewisham during the Second World War,

Born Joseph William Hull on February 16, 1929, he did national service between the age of 18 and 20, before joining the family firm of barge-builders on the Thames at Greenwich and, later, attending agricultural college. He married his wife, Helen, a grammar school teacher, on Christmas Eve, 1954. The couple, who were married for 47 years, lived in Rainham, Dartford and Gravesend before moving to Addington in 1994.

In 1957, Mr Hull began working for agricultural supplier Dunn's, primarily selling seeds to farmers but also inspecting crops and offering advice. He continued in the same vein after setting up in business on his own as JW Hull and Company in 1965.

But Mr Hull's job was only ever one of the ways in which he supported the agricultural community.

Mr Hull, a writer, also helped present the former Radio Medway's farming programme in the 1970s and 1980s, moving on to compile, edit and present live broadcasts for BBC Radio 4's Farming Today. He retired in his mid-60s.

He was a keen and skilled gardener, took regular holidays with his wife and, as an entertaining and knowledgeable public speaker on trees and gardening, was booked up more than a year in advance. He had been chairman of the Kent Men of the Trees, a voluntary organisation which aims to promote awareness of trees, particularly among the young, since 1994.

As well as his widow, Mr Hull leaves two sons, David and Michael. His funeral takes place at St Margaret's Church, Addington, on Monday (December 17).