THE family of a popular kennel owner has paid tribute to “a kind, generous and committed man” after his recent sudden death.

Keith Brown (73), of the Hadrian Pet Hotel, in Maften, died of a heart attack at home on June 25.

Mr Brown's wife, Joan, a former social worker, has led the tributes to her much-loved husband.

She said: “Keith deserved every accolade that anyone could ever give him because he worked so hard.

“He achieved so much in his 73 years. My focus now is to build on the success he created.”

The couple met when Joan was just 15, managing a long distance relationship before tying the knot in 1968.

They then went on to have two children, welcoming Graham in 1971 and Joanne six years later in 1977, who gave them grandchildren.

Despite being born in Newcastle and living for 30 years in Tynemouth, Mr Brown made the Tyne Valley his home.

For 32 years, he proudly served the Northumbria Police force area as a senior police dog training instructor, before his passion for the four-legged friends led him to set up his own kennel, cattery and dog grooming business in the Northumberland countryside.

When he wasn’t tending to the animals, Mr Brown would be in the couple’s four-acre garden growing his own potatoes or entertaining guests.

Joan said: “He loved socialising with family and friends, preferably at home barbecuing.

“But despite loving social occasions, he was probably never happier than when he was watching the football on the television with a bar of Cadbury’s whole nut or a bag of Thornton’s fudge to hand.”

In his youth, Mr Brown played squash with a passion.

But in his latter years, he swapped his racquet in favour of clay pigeon shooting as a member of Harlow Hill Gun Club, near East Wallhouses.

The couple also enjoyed foreign travel, seeing sites all over the world on their most recent cruise to celebrate Mr Brown's birthday in February, before Covid-19 restrictions came into play.

The couple had also recently fund-raised for Macmillan Cancer Care and St Mary The Virgin Church, in Stamfordham.

Mr Brown's funeral was held on July 10 at West Road crematorium, in Newcastle, and was attended by close family only, owing to current restrictions. Joan said: “He meant so much to so many people - staff said they couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.”