A hugely respected taxi company boss had been looking forward to giving his daughter away at a dream wedding in southern Spain attended by more than 160 guests.

But a week before the nuptials, Lance Ridden suddenly passed away after suffering a suspected heart attack in the luxury resort of Marbella.

His heartbroken, close-knit family pulled together to make sure the ceremony for daughter Hannah and her husband, Jack, went ahead - despite the tragedy.

Her brothers walked her down the aisle, and wife, Sue, showed incredible courage by reading out Lance’s carefully prepared speech.

Lance 66, who co-ran the huge Vokes taxi empire across Medway, died on Sunday, September 14.

His untimely death prompted a wave of grief among hundreds of cabbies and thousands of customers, with well-wishers describing him as “ a true gentleman”, “one in a million”, “larger than life” and “a legend”.

Speaking at the family home in Hempstead, Sue said: “After it happened, I just wanted to fly home. Hannah and Jack said they would call it off if I did.

“We had mixed feelings, but ultimately, it’s what Lance would have wanted.

“I was only going to stay for the blessing, but I ended up staying until the end. It was brilliant. I’m so pleased it went ahead.”

Fortunately, Hannah and hubby Jack Bates held a low-key, smaller register office wedding at Danson House, south east London a few weeks beforehand, where dad-of-five Lance was able to fulfil his role of father-of-the-bride.

Lance and co-owner Mark Robinson have built up a massive taxi business across the Towns over the last 20 years, taking over six competitor firms.

Starting with Newcabs in Rochester in 2004, they went on to acquire Windmill in Gillingham in 2011, Rainham Cabs in 2018, I-cab on Medway City Estate in 2021, Strood Cabs in 2023 and, just this week, have officially added Computer Cabs to the portfolio.

But it could be said that the venture, which has snowballed over two decades, started off in humble beginnings by Lance’s mum Joyce in the spare room of the family home in Gillingham.

With just a couple of cars to hire, the seed was sown at no 303 Woodlands Road in 1967 with Joyce and ex-Army husband John at the helm of Pinkies.

As a lad, Lance washed the cabs to earn his pocket money, but after leaving Upbury Manor, now Brompton Academy, he declined his dad’s suggestion to become a full-time taxi driver.

Instead, Lance took a welder’s apprenticeship at a factory in Gillingham and, once qualified, got lucrative contracts in the Middle East and the north east of England.

He married his first wife, Amanda, and they had daughter, Hannah, 32.

He went on to work with his father as a council bailiff, and then a friend Graham Vokes, announced that he was stepping down from his cab firm, Vokes.

Lance expressed an interest and mentioned it to one of his customers, businessman Mark Robinson, who was keen to get on board.

Vokes, with its main office in Old Road, Chatham, started off with about 50 drivers and now has more than 200 on the books - and looking to recruit after its latest acquisition.

Lance married Sue in 2005, and she quickly used her skills honed from working in the retail trade to market the business,

Her sons from her first marriage to Tim, Joshua, 35, and Hadley, 33, along with their sister Hannah, pounded the streets delivering leaflets to promote their service.

Sue said the partnership between Lance and Mark worked well because Lance ran the business from his heart and Mark “introduced up-to-date technology to the operation.”

Sue described her life with Lance as “eventful and fun.”

She said: “Lance was very sociable. There were many parties here and it was often open house.”

The couple shared a fondness for travelling abroad and loved their holidays in the Caribbean, Spain and Turkey.

Lance enjoyed watersports, watching football, going out on his boat, and he used to play squash at the old Roffen sports and social club in Rochester where he was a member for many years.

Lance and his company have also invested heavily in community projects, sponsoring his sons’ football teams, Chatham Town Football Club and charities including the Rotary Club’s Santa Fun Run.

Sue said: ”We are a blended family and all get on very well, but if anything, this has brought us closer.”

Lance’s funeral is on Tuesday, October 28, at 12 noon at Medway Crematorium, Blue Bell Hill followed by a get-together at the Smallholders Club in Wigmore.

Donations can be made to the child bereavement charity, Abigail’s Footsteps, in memory of Daniel, the newborn baby the couple sadly lost. All are welcome and mourners are asked to wear traditional black.

To donate to the charity, visit here.

Close family and friends can send flowers by Monday October 27 to T.Allen Funeral Service, 126B Maidstone Road, Rochester, ME1 3DT.

In lieu of flowers, there will also be boxes at the crematorium chapel and the Smallholders Club, if you would like to make a donation to Abigail’s Footsteps.