TRIBUTES have been paid to an expert forager and former town mayor who featured on national and regional television last year.

Henry Ashby who has died aged 63 was one of the local characters featured in last year’s BBC Wales television series Border Lives, which showed him out foraging near his home.

His business Wild Food 365 supplied the likes of The Crown at Whitebrook, where Michelin-starred chef Chris Harrod described him as a “larger than life character.”

“From the day he walked in the back door of my kitchen six years ago with a basket of stunning cep mushrooms and freshly picked estuary herbs, Henry’s passion and enthusiasm helped develop the food that we serve at the restaurant,” he said.

“I shall miss my old friend and his stories that kept us all amused,” added the chef, who won BBC 2’s Great British Menu contest last year, and used Mr Ashby’s ingredients to help make his highly praised dishes in the show.

He also supplied other chefs around the area, including Michelin-starred James Sommerin when he was in charge of the kitchen at the Crown.

The former submariner and Chepstow town councillor, who lived in Garden City with wife Tanya, started foraging at the age of 10 with his grandfather, and used the skills he learnt to hunt out foody delights from hedgerows, the coastline and the forest floor for top restaurants, as well as leading guided walks and foraging events.

He was also a regular speaker at food festivals, including Abergavenny Food Festival.

Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay paid tribute to Mr Ashby, who was Chepstow mayor from 2009 to 2010, and who died on Sunday morning, July 28.

“Jennifer (Mr Ram- say’s wife) and I are shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of our dear friend Henry Ashby.

“Henry was a warm-hearted and generous man who only wanted the best for people,” he said.

“He excelled in his role as Mayor of Chepstow and was always passionate about ways of improving the town.

“The outdoors was his first love and he gained a formidable reputation locally as an expert forager, supplying some of Monmouthshire’s most well known restaurants and helping in no small part to put our county on the map as an international food destination.

“Henry was also very knowledgeable about the sea, having served as a submariner in his younger days.

“He was one of a kind, and I shall miss our chats very much.

“Our thoughts are with Tanya and Henry’s family at this difficult time.”