GAZETTE & HERALD: TRIBUTES have been paid to John Chester, 58, a former landlord of the Lansdowne Arms at Derry Hill, who died on April 5 after a two-and-a-half year battle with the rare lung disease primary pulmonary hypertension.

He was on the waiting list to have a double lung transplant, but was taken to hospital with a chest infection where he had a stroke and died of pneumonia.

This week Karin Chester, his wife of 25 years, described him as a gentle, lovely man.

Mr and Mrs Chester were landlords of the Lansdowne Arms for five years between 1998 and 2003. They moved from the pub to Cepen Park North in Chippenham when Mr Chester became ill.

Mrs Chester, 52, said: "John always said Derry Hill was a village full of genuine people. We enjoyed our time there very much. He enjoyed raising money for the school, and liked to get involved in the community. I think that's how people will remember him."

Mr Chester, who was born and bought up in Nottingham, began life as a self-employed tailor but was a landlord for more than 20 years.

The illness, which affects less than one in a million people, meant he could only walk a matter of yards and was constantly in and out of hospital.

"He was very courageous," said Mrs Chester. "He dealt with it through humour and never let it get him down. He used to draw little smiley faces and put them up everywhere."

The couple had one daughter, Kay, 24.

"John was very committed to his family," said Mrs Chester. "He thought the world of us and would have hated for us to be unhappy.

"He was a social man and had a joke for everything.

"I think the number of people at his funeral will be testament to him."

The funeral will be held at Semington Crematorium tomorrow at 1pm and all are welcome to attend.