THE family of a former mayor is in mourning after he died within days of his baby granddaughter. Graham Payne, who was twice mayor of Gillingham, has died following a battle with cancer.

He was so frail, his family chose not to break the news to him of baby Madison's death just two days earlier from meningitis.

Madison, aged six months, was the daughter of the Gillingham-based Invicta Dynamos ice hockey club's former player-coach Phil Chard, and his wife Nikki.

They lived in Rochester with Nikki's sons from her first marriage, Ben, 14, and Sam, who is 13 on Tuesday.

Mr Payne, 61, who was a Medway councillor until last year, had worked tirelessly during his career to raise money for an orphanage in Romania and visited the country to help re-build the home for children with HIV.

The grandfather-of-three lived with wife Denise in Cambridge Road, Wigmore. He had two children, Steven and Nikki.

He died at home at 11.15am on Tuesday. Madison died last Sunday at 5.50am at Medway Maritime Hospital, Gillingham.

Mother Nikki had rushed her to hospital the day before with a high temperature. Hours later, meningitis was diagnosed.

A specialist team from a London hospital dashed to Medway to treat her but, despite their best efforts, they couldn't save her.

A close family friend Michele Steadman said: "Madison was everything they ever wanted. She really did make their happiness complete. "She was a healthy, happy and beautiful baby."

Madison's funeral was held on Thursday at Medway Crematorium. Mr Payne's funeral will be held at Medway Crematorium on Thursday, May 6, at 1.40pm. The family have asked for no flowers but for donations to be made to Rainbow Romania or MacMillan Nurses.

It is not yet known which strain of meningitis Madison had but nobody else is thought to be at risk.