Tributes have been paid following the sudden death of a Cockermouth man whose garden centre business "was his life".

Motorbike fanatic John Hughes, 72, who set up Oakhurst Garden Centre nearly 40 years ago, died following a heart attack at his home on Lamplugh Road. His funeral was held on Tuesday.

He had been in good health prior to his death, said his partner of 30 years Susan Southworth, who worked alongside him.

"The business was his life. He hardly ever left it - unless he was going round the world on his motorbike!" said Ms Southworth.

The couple also had electric bikes, which they had been out on together twice in the week before he died.

"He had just bought a new bike and went out every week," Ms Southworth said.

"Two days before we had cycled to the Royal Yew in Dean for lunch."

Mr Hughes' love of motorbikes had seen him travel the world over the years. He was due to set off on a road trip in Tibet next week.

"He was fanatical, he loved the speed and the roar," said his daughter Nanette Dolderson, a therapist at Visage Therapy Centre.

Mr Hughes was born in the Midlands and moved to Cockermouth as a child. His father, Thomas John Hughes, was the town's last station master. The young Mr Hughes' mother, Mary, and older sister Ellen, lived in the station master's house. When the station closed they moved to Papcastle.

Mr Hughes opened a furniture and joinery shop in Maryport and also did some landscaping. He took on a gardening job for the man who used to own Oakhurst House, a large home built in 1875.

In 1979 he bought the house and started a small nursery business, which literally grew and grew.

"He was a hard worker and built up a great clientele over the years. He had lots of energy and enthusiasm and a great rapport with customers," said his daughter.

Mr Hughes rode through New Zealand on a motorbike, also Bulgaria and Andorra. Seven years ago he spent two months biking from Dover to China going through 14 countries, including Russia, the Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

Andrew Scott, owner of West Coast Indoor Karting in Maryport, met Mr Hughes nearly 30 years ago while playing pool in a Lorton pub.

They discovered they had a mutual love of motorbikes and had many adventures over the years.

"He was intrepid, game for anything," said Mr Scott.

"He has travelled with so many people all over the world and will be missed by so many. He was so modest about his achievements, very unassuming."

Also on the China road trip was Steve Hotson, of Lincoln, who said: "He was a true riding legend and will be missed so much, biking will never be quite the same without his humour and passion on the roads. He was a super fine rider."

Mr Hughes, who has grandchildren Rhys and Evie, and Ms Southworth have supported the Allerdale Red Squirrel Group for many years.

His funeral was held at Christ Church on Tuesday.

The Rev Adrian Thompson told the congregation he had several fruit trees from "the Aladdin’s cave of John’s garden centre" as would so many other people.

He said: "John grew a large and flourishing gardening business from small beginnings in one small wooden building, each seedling, sown, and then tenderly grown into a flower, bush or tree."

The garden centre has been closed since Mr Hughes' death on September 8. It will remain shut until further notice.