A gifted singer has died aged 38 - just a day after discovering he had liver cancer.

Chris Austin learned of the tragic diagnosis four days after he complained to medics he was short of breath.

He was admitted to Medway Maritime Hospital, but instead of staying for treatment after hearing the news, he strode out of the ward so he could be with his mother Bev.

Tragically, he died the next day.

"It was a very him thing to do. He was the kind of guy who lived on his own terms..." - close friend

Tributes have poured in for Chris, who lived in Rochester and Chatham for 20 years.

Close friend John LongPlay said: "He knew he was going to go and he wanted to be with his family.

"It was a very him thing to do. He was the kind of guy who lived on his own terms."

Nicknamed Afro Chris for his wild shock of black hair, the talented guitarist was the lead singer of acoustic band Tape Error.

They were one of the best-known names on the Medway indie scene and had just signed to the Dancing Turtle Records label, releasing their first EP. They gigged at almost every venue in Medway.

"Everyone who met him fell in love with him," said John. "Within two hours of us finding out he was dead, we had 40 people in our house who just came to be with us.

"He always said he would never make it to 40. He was a tormented soul but he was always there, almost to the point where it seemed he was in two places at once.

"He was very sociable, very lively and a guitar never left his hand. It would take 10 people to live half his lifetime."

Chris met many of his friends as a teenager, when he hung out at the Fairbridge youth project in Chatham's Historic Dockyard.

They joked he was like a little Jimi Hendrix. As years went by, Chris moved between Medway and Brighton, playing with local indie singers who hit the big time like Kid Harpoon and Lupen Crook.

Nine-to-five jobs never held much interest. Instead he was a ruthless perfectionist for music.

"We used to call it the Afro Chris regime," said John. "If you were in a band with him you had to turn up on time every day. We couldn't match the amount he cared about what he was doing."

Chris Austin leaves his mother Bev Austin, brother Tom Moore, sister Theresa Austin and girlfriend Leila Soames.

Friends have written tributes and started an audio tribute page at soundcloud.com/chris-austin-rip.

Thanking friends for their responses, his mother said: "It makes my heart swell with pride to know all the people who cared and loved my lad."

Chris was told he had cancer last Tuesday and died the following day.