The long-serving former landlord of a traditional pub has died.

Peter Cook, who ran The Rising Sun in Rochester for almost 30 years, passed away at the age of 79.

A former member of the Licensed Victuallers' Association, which supports publicans across Medway and organises charity events, Mr Cook was active in the community.

He had been ill for some time, suffering cancer and kidney failure, and died at the Wisdom Hospice in Rochester last Wednesday.

He had been receiving dialysis treatment at the Borstal home he shared with wife Jill, 77.

The couple have two daughters, Michelle, 54, and Susan, 56, and a grandson, Paul, aged 30.

Before entering the pub trade, Mr Cook was a carpenter and scaffolder working on the Isle of Grain.

He met his wife of 58 years when his family moved from Hastings to St William's Way, Rochester, where Jill and her parents lived.

Michelle said: "He loved being at the pub and had many friends. He was very sociable.

"My parents worked very hard and built the pub up from scratch. By the time they left it was thriving."

Jill was no stranger to the licensing business with her parents and later her grandparents running the George Vaults in Rochester High Street.

At one point the couple inherited a fellow publican's pet monkey, Pablo, which proved a hit with children at the pub in Delce Road.

He was a keen motorcyclist and in their younger days they used go on day trips together, meeting up with friends.

Mr Cook had a boat which he kept at Rochester Cruising Club and also enjoyed a game of golf.

The couple took over The Rising Sun, their only pub, in 1985.

The funeral will be at Medway Crematorium at Blue Bell Hill on Monday, October 31, at 1.30pm.

This will be followed by a wake at cruising club on the Esplanade.

Donations are welcome to the hospice where Mr Cook spent his final few days.