A wife has paid tribute to her “one-of-a-kind” husband who helped bring joy every year to hundreds of people who knew him as Mr Christmas.

Kevin Green, from Larkfield, died following a long battle with cancer but not before he could see the home he shared with his wife, Pat, turned into a twinkling winter wonderland one last time.

Just days after hundreds of people turned up to see the official lights switch-on at their home, Kevin passed away.

The 71-year-old was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009 but recently found further complications.

In September 2023, he discovered he had kidney cancer and doctors made the decision to remove one.

Three months later, Kevin was told he also had bladder cancer and treatment for this started last March.

However, this was unsuccessful and he then discovered the cancer had spread to his liver.

Kevin was married to his wife, Pat Green, for 36 years.

She said: “He was just one of a kind. He was hardworking, loving, loyal, a fantastic husband, a marvellous father and a brilliant grandad.

“He had a very dry but quick sense of humour as well.

“He would do anything for anybody that asked him. There's so much I could say – I was honoured to be his wife.”

The pair met through Gingerbread, a social group for single parents to support one another.

“One Friday night when we were out he asked me to dance,” Pat explained.

“When it ended, he kissed me on the cheek and I ran away. The following week, he did the same thing.

“On the third week, he told me afterwards ‘if you run I'm giving up’. That was it, the third time lucky.”

Both Kevin, then 33, and Pat, then 27, had been married before.

The pair were so smitten that within two months of dating, he proposed on New Year’s Eve.

On April 20, 1989, they married and “my life finally began”, said Pat.

Kevin was born in Grimsby and moved to Tovil, near Maidstone, when he was five.

He was an avid petrolhead and started out as a mechanic, eventually becoming a manager of a garage.

Pat and Kevin then launched Conamar Cars, a wedding vehicle hire company which, over the years, grew in size and popularity.

However, the cancer returned and Kevin decided to retire at 69.

Pat added: “From then on he tinkered with a kit car which was out in the garage. He also loved fishing and playing darts.

“He was a very clever man – with his hands, he could make anything.”

To the Larkfield community, Kevin and Pat were known as Mr and Mrs Christmas.

The couple spent the last three decades decorating their home in Oak Drive with dozens of twinkling lights.

Every year, people were invited to see the switch-on and more than £10,000 has been raised for charity.

Their last ever event, on Sunday, December 1, saw around 1,000 people turn up, along with a local choir and an ice cream van.

Kevin and his family had been told by doctors it was “unlikely” he would see Christmas Day so they held their own get-together on Sunday, November 24.

Daughter Nichole said: “We're glad we had the news so we could get it done. We wouldn’t have coped otherwise.

“Mum and Dad always go all out and buy everyone four or five presents each. We have a big family Christmas dinner, all sitting around one table. Then we play games.

“Dad enjoyed the day and just sat back and watched us.”

Kevin died at home on Sunday, December 15, surrounded by his family.

He leaves behind his wife Pat as well as their seven children and 12 grandchildren.

His funeral is on Friday, January 17 at 2pm at Medway Crematorium, Blue Bell Hill.

A special Macmillan Darts Marathon is being held in honour of Kevin on February 22 in The Old Rectory, Leybourne.

If you would like to know more about the event or donate, please click here.

The target is to raise £2,000 for the charity.