A DEVOTED father has died from meningitis while working away from home.

Gavin Peart, from Darlington, was working in Edinburgh for a York company when he died in hospital on Sunday, January 27.

His widow, Christine, said: "He used to work all over the country and he loved his job.

"It was such a shock. One minute he was healthy and the next minute he was gone."

The youngest of four children, Mr Peart, 30, spent all his life in Darlington and had been a pupil at Heathfield Primary School and Eastbourne School.

He met his wife in 1999, while she was working at the Wheatsheaf pub in Darlington. They had a daughter, Georgina, now one, and moved into their home in Estoril Road South just days before they got married in June last year.

Mrs Peart said: "He was a great father and really loved his daughter.

"He was also a really good stepdad to my son, Robbie, who is seven. They were really close."

Having been a Liverpool Football Club fan in his early days, he became a season ticket holder for Middlesbrough in later life.

The other main passions in his life were fishing and music - he wrote his own songs and taught himself how to play the guitar.

Mr Peart's mother, Tessa, said: "He loved all his family - his sisters, brother and nieces and nephews.

"He had the driest sense of humour and was so quick with everyone.

"He was quiet, but friendly and had the most loving nature. He will be really missed by everyone.

"We have received literally hundreds of cards and flowers and we want to thank everyone for thinking of us."

Mr Peart, who had worked for MSS Ltd for 18 months, was looking forward to a contract in Cyprus when he was taken ill.

He was a donor card carrier and after his death his vital organs were donated to help others.

A funeral service will be held at 12.30pm today in St John's Church, Darlington, followed by a private interment.

Donations should be sent to the Meningitis Research Foundation in lieu of flowers