ANIMAL-lover Terry Podd devoted more than a third of his life to training dogs and today his club paid tribute to a sorely missed friend who has died from cancer.

ANIMAL-lover Terry Podd devoted more than a third of his life to training dogs and today his club paid tribute to a sorely missed friend who has died from cancer.

His family and the Gipping & District Dog Training Club at which he was chairman for 15 years were left shell-shocked after Mr Podd died aged 58.

Mr Podd first got involved in dog training thanks to his father-in-law.

His wife of 37 years, Kathy, said: "My father taught him the rudiments of training more than 20 years ago. Terry loved his dogs. Although he hadn't had a dog for the past ten years, he would refer to all the dogs at the club as his dogs."

Club secretary Maureen Rodwell, 64, said Mr Podd was the anchor of the club, which meets at Bramford Church.

She said: "Terry loved to see the dogs coming in and running around such as when I came with my Lucy, then a two-year-old Shetland sheepdog

"I didn't know she was blind, I just thought she was nervous. Terry was so kind to her. Not many people could get near that dog, but Terry was one person who could.

"If there was an awkward dog he would try really hard to get that dog involved in the community.

"What really made his day was seeing a puppy running around on the end of a lead and then, after eight weeks, seeing the puppy running around off lead."

Mrs Podd, 56, who lives in west Ipswich, added: "Terry always had a treat in his pocket. Every year we had a barbecue. We always had too many sausages, but Terry would give them to the dogs.

Mr Podd's death had not been anticipated by his family or by the club.

Two years ago, he had his right eye removed after a mole in his eye turned out to be a melanoma.

But, Mrs Podd said, he had remained OK, although tired and not eating very well.

The family had been on holiday to Aldeburgh in August but on their return Mr Podd's health seemed to have deteriorated.

An ultrasound scan showed his liver was enlarged and Mr Podd was told he would need a biopsy.

However that week, he went downhill, became very weak and developed septicaemia.

Mr Podd died on September 8, leaving behind his wife, son Simon, 34, daughter-in-law Jean, 34, and grandchildren Bradley, 9, and Megan, 7.

Mrs Podd said: "His death was such a shock to me and my son. We are devastated. You just don't expect it – he was only 58 years old. I am taking it one day at a time, but it is very hard. One day I just couldn't stop crying."

Mrs Rodwell added: "I will miss him a lot. We worked very well together and Terry is going to be a very, very hard act to follow. The club is missing Terry terribly and we are going to miss him for a long while, but we have got to keep the club going whatever happens."

Do you have memories of Terry Podd? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk