AMATEUR sailor Ken Jones died practising the hobby he loved. The remarkable 81-year-old died after he fell overboard from his 14ft dinghy on Monday, while sailing at Llandegfedd Reservoir in Torfaen.

A windsurfer plucked Mr Jones (pictured) from the water but police said the pensioner had been under the surface for almost five minutes.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital. It is believed he drowned.

His grieving widow Nancy, 81, said last night: "He died doing something he really loved. He died happy."

His son Keith, 55, said: "If he could have chosen to die in any way it would have been while sailing."

Crumlin-born Mr Jones, who had two sons Brian, 58, and Keith, lived with his wife Nancy at their small bungalow in Elizabeth Sparkes Close, Rogiet. They had been married for 59 years.

Mrs Jones said: "Ken was a very active person for his age. He never sat down for long and could not sit still.

"He went sailing two or three times a week on his dingy at Llandegfedd reservoir. Sailing was the main joy in his life. Ken bought a Mirror dinghy for £160 in 1987 to use at Llandegfedd."

Mr Jones was in that dinghy when it capsized on Llan-degfedd at about 3pm on Monday. "He was very much an outdoor person," said Mrs Jones. "He spent a lot of his time cycling and keeping himself in trim with his ab cruncher.

"We also used to go sequence dancing two or three times a week at Chepstow and Caldicot leisure centres."

Mr Jones, who spent almost 50 years working on the railways before retiring in 1984, kept a diary of his daily activities since 1947.

"Dad and my uncle Bill (Nancy's brother) were great friends but they used to argue a lot about dates when things happened," said Keith, from Magor.

"So dad decided he would keep a diary so he could out-argue Bill. And he did. There are drawers full of diaries."

Keith said: "He was a very practical person - and very generous." He added that Mr Jones had been much-loved by his three grandchildren Linda, Neil and Gareth and his two great-grandchildren Rhiannon and Megan.

"They will miss him very much, as we all will," said Mr Jones. "He was a great role-model. The rock of the family. A great family man and you could always rely on him." A tearful Mrs Jones said: "He was always there."

Mr Jones was educated at West Mon Grammar School in Pontypool before starting life on the railways at 15, as a van boy at Newport Station in 1935. He was re-located to Severn Tunnel Junction in Rogiet in 1940 and met Nancy at a dance at Caldicot YMCA. They married at St Mary's Church, Caldicot on May 23, 1942.

Mr Jones was a popular member of Rogiet non-political club. Mrs Jones added: "Every Thursday he would join the ex-railwaymen down the club for a few pints of beer, a game of cards and a few games of snooker. "He loved snooker too - and he enjoyed his social life."