A man who suffered a serious head injury after falling from a boat in a dry dock has died in hospital, it has emerged.

Ron Judd, who was in his early 70s, fell from a ladder while working on his boat, Nepos, in Gillingham Marina last Thursday.

He was flown to King’s College Hospital, London, with extensive head injuries where he was seen by the specialist neurological unit but never regained consciousness.

Mr Judd was a member and past Commodore of the former Medway Motor Yacht Club (MMYC) and well known within the boating community in Medway.

Nigel Jennings, also a past Commodore of MMYC, said today: “He was a very active man and he had an active association with the scouting movement.

“He was well known on the Medway when the yacht club was in its heyday in the 1990s and early 2000s.

“He maintained an interested in Medway, and came back to Gillingham Marina each year for the boat’s annual service.”

Mr Jennings, who has known Mr Judd for more than 20 years, said he was most recently living in Peacehaven, East Sussex, with his partner Caroline.

He said Mr Judd had grown up in the Bexleyheath area and used to keep his boat in Medway Bridge Marina.

"Ron was a well-liked and respected customer of Gillingham Marina and seen by many of the staff in the workshop as a friend"

Mr Judd had worked as a lock-keeper at the Limehouse Basin on the Thames and at Brighton Marina, as well as working as an instructor for inland waterways.

A statement on the Medway and Swale Boating Association website said: “We are sad to report that Ron Judd has died tragically.

“He fell from a ladder whilst working on Nepos in Gillingham Marina last Thursday. He was airlifted to London but he never regained consciousness.

“He had extensive head injuries and life support was turned off on Friday evening.”

An email sent from Gillingham Marina to members said Mr Judd had been found on the workshop floor next to his ladder.

It said: “It is with deep sadness that we have to announce the death of Ron Judd who died in hospital following an accident in Gillingham Marina.

“The police said that upon arrival he had been reported to be in a stable condition and the injury was not life threatening. Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated, due to the severity of his head injury and following a period on a life support machine, the decision was made to withdraw support.

“Ron was a well-liked and respected customer of Gillingham Marina and seen by many of the staff in the workshop as a friend. All the staff and members of Gillingham Marina have expressed their heartfelt condolences to his family and Keith his regular crew member at their tragic loss.”