THE family of a Herefordshire farmer has paid tribute to 'a man who loved everything about country life.’

Hugh Snell died, aged 81, last Thursday, February 12 at his home in Lower Lulham in Madley.

Fire crews were called to a small fire at 8am but it was out by the time they arrived, and his family believe Mr Snell died from natural causes after a short illness. The fire service is investigating the cause of the fire.

His family, including his five children Anthony, David, Pip, George and Nic, has paid tribute to Mr Snell.

They said: "Hugh Snell will be remembered as a man who loved his family, good company and everything about country life in Herefordshire.

"He was someone who liked to pack as much as possible into every day- whether farming, shooting, fishing, tennis or, more recently, playing bridge- often all of these activities on the same long day."

Mr Snell was the youngest of six children and educated at Wycliffe College and the Royal Agricultural College.

He served as an officer in the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry before getting married to his late wife Jennifer.

He farmed in Madley from 1957 until he died.

The family said: "His farming career was mainly at a time of low land values, inflation and interest rates as high as 18 percent, at one time, giving plenty of challenges to make a profit.

"He successfully bought and later sold land and farms in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, and was a Herefordshire pioneer cider contract grower for Bulmers, as well as one of the very early Sun Valley poultry producers.

"At one stage, he even had part of one of the chicken sheds producing a trial crop of 1,000 guinea fowl, in the hope, that there would be a market for their gamey, chicken-like meat."

Mr Snell, who had 12 grandchildren, set up the successful Shop Under The Clock in Commercial Road, Hereford, and the Poplar Tree Company, which established joint ventures on more than 3,000 acres.

Nationally, he was a founding committee member of LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) and chairman of Horticultural Cooperative GMS.

He loved tennis, in particular Madley Tennis Club, and enjoyed salmon fishing. One year he caught the first salmon of the season on the River Tay in Scotland.

Mr Snell was also chairman of Herefordshire Agricultural club from 1975 to 76- a role currently undertaken by his eldest son Anthony, from Windmill Hill, Harewood End.

There will be a thanksgiving memorial service for all those that knew him at Madley Church at 2.30pm on Friday, March 6.