THE company secretary of P&O Ferries, John Langford, who had also served as chairman of governors at River Primary School, near Dover, has died suddenly at the age of 54.

Mr Langford lived at River with his wife Leanne, their daughter Julia, 15, and 12-year-old son Nicholas.

Mr Langford collapsed and died on Sunday. Friends and work colleagues were shocked to hear of his death this week.

Mr Langford was a former pupil at St Mary’s Primary School in Dover and the boys' grammar school where he was involved in several drama productions, including Hamlet in 1964 and The Pirates of Penzance in 1965.

He belonged to the Combined Cadet Force and took part in cricket and football activities.

On leaving school in 1967 he went into banking, and in May 1970 he joined Townsend Car Ferries, working in foreign exchange on board the ships.

He went on to become commercial services manager and in 1992 was appointed company secretary for P&O European Ferries. He continued that role with P&O Ferries.

Managing director Russ Peters has written to all staff paying tribute to Mr Langford as “a man who gave wise counsel and whose friendship will be sadly missed by everyone in the ferry industry to which he devoted his life and career”.

The funeral service is being held at Barham Crematorium next Thursday, January 22, at 11.30am.

Family flowers only are being requested for the funeral, but donations in his memory can be made to the Demelza House Children’s Hospice, through the undertaker, WJ Farrier at 161 London Road, Dover.