Former fruit trade veteran Colin Bentley has died aged 87 after a long and glittering career in the industry.

Colin died peacefully at home on 7 April and his funeral will take place at the City of London Crematorium at 2pm on 22 April.

Colin gained a military Distinguished Flying Cross as a navigator with the seventh Squadron Pathfinder Force during the Second World War.

After the war he went into Covent Garden market as director of Fruit Importers. After four years he joined his father, who was managing director at Goodwin in the London Fruit Exchange. Colin spent some period as an auctioneer there and rose to become md himself.

In 1974, he joined Mark White at Keiling and Whites, also in London Fruit Exchange. Here he was at the forefront of the direct supply to the burgeoning supermarket sector.

In 1983, Whites was sold to Jamaican Producers and Colin continued to specialise in the supply of top-fruit from New Zealand, South Africa and UK growers, as well as citrus from South Africa, Spain and Israel. He retired in 1994 when the business transferred to Kent.

Donations, if desired to the RAF Benevolent Fund and Homes for Heroes.

FPJ’s condolences to Colin's wife Pat and children Jane and Robert. He will also be greatly missed by his six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren .

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