A PURTON farmer, who began his working life as a trawlerman and then spent five years as a Royal Navy diver, has died at the age of 40.

Alex Meers died at home at Purton House, Church End, on Monday after a battle against leukaemia.

He and his wife Rowie took over the farm from her parents Doug and Myf Barker when they married and converted it to organic beef and egg production.

Later they began supplying regular customers with seasonal fruit and vegetables through a weekly and fortnightly box delivery scheme.

The vegetable side of the business started with 10 customers and now has more than 400.

"We did it together and both loved it," said Rowie. "Alex's strengths were my weaknesses and vice versa."

They met as teenagers when Alex was at school in Warminster with Rowie's brother Glenn and their relationship continued throughout his time in the Royal Navy and while Rowie spent a year working in Australia. Alex bought a boat to live on and together they sailed it round the coast to Portsmouth, where he was stationed.

After their marriage Alex took to life on the land with as much enthusiasm as he had shown for life under the waves as a diver.

"He planned the planting and did the manual work. I ran the shed and made sure all the boxes went out," Rowie said.

But last October he developed pneumonia and was admitted to Great Western Hospital where leukaemia was diagnosed.

"We were told his chances were slim but he never gave up fighting," she said.

"Neither did the family. He died peacefully with all of us around him."

Besides his widow Alex leaves three daughters, Imogen, 12; Matilda, 10 and Lilly, seven.

Rowie paid tribute to staff at the hospital's Dove Unit, where her husband had twice been treated.

"He had such a good relationship with them," she said.

"And I know they were upset when he was discharged on Friday and they knew he was coming home to die,"

The funeral will take place at St Mary's Church, in Purton, on Monday, June 12 at 11am.