A veteran councillor is reported to be making “excellent progress” after suffering a heart attack and stroke.

Adrian Crowther had gone to see his GP after feeling unwell on August 6 but became seriously ill at the surgery and was taken to King’s College Hospital in London.

The 72-year-old was put into an induced coma and, as the Times Guardian was going to press last week, he was on life support in intensive care.

Yesterday Minster Parish Council clerk Trish Codrington, who has visited the former Mayor of Swale with his partner Pamela Berry, said he is doing well.

“Adrian appears to be making excellent progress,” she said.

“According to the latest reports, he has been moved from the intensive surgical ward at King’s to a normal ward and he is now up and walking, all of which is very positive news considering how ill he was.”

Cllr Crowther, of The Leas, Minster, represents Sheppey ward on Kent County Council, Minster Cliffs on Swale Borough Council and is also a Minster parish councillor.

The father of two was first elected as a Conservative representative for Swale council in 2000, but defected to UKIP earlier this year after the Tories’ decision to replace him as a candidate in the county elections.