A FATHER died when he had a heart attack at the wheel of his car on the day of his wedding anniversary and birthday.

Derren Bowdler, 41, was on his way home from Tilston, near Malpas, on Tuesday night where he had been out celebrating at the Fox and Hounds pub.

He had a heart attack while driving his car on Malpas Road and was found about an hour later by a member of public who called for an ambulance.

Mr Bowdler lived on Holywell Lane in Clutton with his wife Liz and three-year-old son George. He worked as a master technician in automotive mechanics.

A message at the roadside left with a bunch of flowers reads: 'The light has been turned off in our lives eternally, Liz and George'.

Mr Bowdler left the Fox and Hounds pub at around 11.30pm on Tuesday night and set off home in his white Mercedes.

He was found at around 12.42am in his car on Malpas Road. The police initially suspected he had died after an accident but yesterday the coroner confirmed he had died from natural causes after a heart attack.

Mr and Mrs Bowdler spent a lot of time in Tilston, as Liz has relatives there. She is also on the women's' darts team at the Fox and Hounds.

Mark Parry, husband of the licensee of the Fox and Hounds, saw Mr Bowdler just before he died. He said he was always the life and soul of the party.

'He was the type of guy who would always come in and have a laugh and a joke with you.

'The sort of person who you would never fall out with, because if you didn't agree with him you would just end up having a joke with him.'

Mr Bowdler had been a regular at the pub for almost a year and he and Mark had become friends, playing golf together at Hill Valley in Whitchurch.

'I should have been golfing with him today, he had become a good mate. It's been a shock. He was really well known here.'

Mark saw Mr Bowdler as he was leaving on Tuesday night and they made arrangements to play golf later in the week.

'He left at 11.30pm closing time. He only dropped in for a quick pint and a joke and then he left. He popped his head around the door as he left, gave me a thumbs up and said 'see you Thursday'. And that was it.

'He had been golfing all day and his wife had been playing darts with my wife, she had gone straight home.

'He got on well with everyone and he loved living in the country. He was the life and soul, even if he didn't know someone he would just start talking and joking with them and having a laugh, he mixed easily and really enjoyed himself.

'He will be sorely missed here, he was a great guy.'

Also living with the couple in Clutton is Mrs Bowdler's two daughters Cheryl and Hazel and Mrs Bowdler's father.

He moved to Clutton from Handbridge in Chester about seven years ago.

The family were too distressed to comment.