STANLEY Blow, one of the county's most successful and dedicated charity fund-raisers and a prominent figure in the fruit industry, has died at the age of 79.

Mr Blow, OBE, of Sutton Road, Langley, near Maidstone, died at Maidstone Hospital in the early hours of Wednesday. He had suffered a severe stroke seven days previously, from which he didn't recover.

During a life-time of service to the community, Mr Blow helped raise literally millions of pounds for good causes, although two earlier strokes had forced him to curtail his efforts in recent times.

A year ago, he launched his last major fund-raising campaign, the Jubilee Appeal for the Royal Commonwealth Veterans League. The campaign ended last month, having raised more than £200,000.

Born in 1924 into a Jewish immigrant family from Austria, Mr Blow joined the family fruit-growing business in Paddock Wood that had been started by his grandfather, Morris Blow.

Stanley Blow later started his own farm in Matfield to supply fruit to food-processors. After merging with Cottage Farms Limited, his company built the Paddock Wood Fruit Distribution Centre. He was a former county chairman of the Kent NFU and a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent.

A memorial service for Mr Blow will be held next year at a date to be arranged.