More than 200 friends, colleagues and former customers have sent condolence cards to the family of long standing Stowmarket estate agent Richard Buck, who has died at the age of 52.

Mr Buck, a director of Bucks Property Agents in Market Place, Stowmarket, passed away at St Elizabeth Hospice, Ipswich, earlier this month, surrounded by his family, after a short battle with cancer.

He is survived by his wife Ali, children Grace and Giles, and his mother Jill.

His wife said: "He was a lovely family man and we are all going to miss him terribly.

"We started the business 19 years ago and we worked together all that time. He worked hard, six days a week.

"He was very content with his lot."

Mrs Buck added: "He was a family man, a big personality and a real character.

"He was infectious - people wanted to sit next to him at dinner parties."

She said he was proud of his Stowmarket roots.

"He absolutely loved Stowmarket, and the countryside, and he wanted to sell houses to people to move here."

In his spare time Mr Buck took part in country pursuits, including shooting and fly fishing.

In the wake of his death, Mr Buck's family have received more than 200 condolence cards, and Mrs Buck was particularly touched by some of the beautiful comments.

She said one read: "He sold our house and became our friend."

Mrs Buck said the business Bucks would continue as a tribute to her husband.

As well as being popular with customers, Mr Buck was also well-known in and around Stowmarket.

Chris Philpot, of Lacy Scott & Knight and chairman of the Suffolk branch of the National Association of Estate Agents, said: "I first met Richard Buck when he joined us at R C Knight and Sons at the start of his career in the 1980s and then he returned to his home town of Stowmarket in later years to open under his own name.

"He was well known in the area, and I was very sorry to hear of Richard's passing at such a young age. We offer our condolences to his colleagues and family."

Former Stowmarket mayor, and district councillor Gerard Brewster, said: "As a local person I can remember Richard being born, I was therefore greatly saddened to learn that he had passed away after what I understand was a short illness and at such an early age.

"Richard was a very well known, popular and very successful businessman with his Buck's Property Agency. It is now an established business which he built up from scratch having gained a wealth of experience from originally working for a well known agency elsewhere.

"His for sale boards regularly appeared in Stowmarket and the wider area and were soon replaced with a sold sign on them, or so it seemed.

"He was always a pleasure to have a conversation and laugh with, his friendship and his skills will be missed by those in the local area who had known him and met him through his business.

"However Richard was truly a family and man and it is therefore to his wife Ali and their family, his mother Jill and her family that I convey my condolences and thoughts at this time."

There will be a private family cremation followed by a service to celebrate his life at St Andrew's Church, Great Finborough on Wednesday, August 28, at 2pm.

All are welcome to attend and are asked to wear colourful and casual clothing.

It is family flowers only but donations may be made to St Elizabeth Hospice or Cancer Research UK in his memory.