Sporting icon Alan Danton, who played football for Canterbury City and cricket for Stowting CC, passes away at home in Australia aged 90

Alan Danton - one of Canterbury’s foremost all-round sportsmen in his earlier years - has died at the age of 90.

Danton was a highly-regarded and respected footballer and cricketer from when he was a teenager and throughout his adult life.

He played at the highest level locally, including for Canterbury City, and was still active into his 40s.

He made more than 600 appearances for Stowting Cricket Club, near Ashford, scoring more than 20,000 runs and taking just under 1,000 wickets but he also shone at table tennis and squash before he took up long-distance running and marathons in particular.

After training as a plumber, Danton joined GPO Telephones, later BT, as an engineer before, in 1988, he and his wife, Jean, emigrated to Adelaide, Australia, to join daughter Beverley.

Their son, Steve, joined them in 2009 but died in 2016.

Danton continued playing cricket in Australia and then, after the family moved to Bendigo, Victoria, he made his return to table tennis and played at Grade-A level into his 80s.

Two knee replacements led to his retirement from running but, undeterred, Danton turned to two wheels to maintain his aerobic health.

It was after he stopped cycling his health started to decline and Danton was diagnosed with interstitial lung disease, which his physicians attributed to his time as an apprentice plumber.

He spent five weeks in hospital before being discharged to spend his final days at home in Australia with his family.

Danton passed away at home last Thursday. He leaves his widow, Jean, daughter Beverley and grandchildren Gemma, Sam and Liam.