Tributeshave been paid to retired Army officer Malcolm McKinlay, who died after falling in the Kennet and Avon Canal at Wilcot.

Lt Col McKinlay, who was 57, was formerly with the Royal Signals and worked in the military secretaries branch based at Bulford.

His partner of four years Dora Kan, 42, who lives in Devizes, said: “He was kind, caring and very organised. He was admired and liked by all who knew him.

“He was a man who didn’t mince his words, he would call a spade a spade.”

Lt Col McKinlay’s body was found in the canal on Saturday afternoon. He had earlier been walking his terrier dog, Borda, and he was still holding on to the lead when his body was found. Borda was unharmed and on the bank, still on the lead.

Lt Col McKinlay’s body was seen in the water between his boat, called The Apple, and the bank by a walker from the Trowbridge area.

A police spokesman said the incident was being treated as a tragic accident.

Ms Kan had last seen Lt Col McKinlay on Saturday morning when he had been at her house.

She said he had fallen from his boat and cracked two of his ribs about two months ago when mooring.

The couple met through a website for Mini car enthusiasts and have attended many rallies. He was also one of the founding members of South Coast New Mini website and tributes have been left on there.

Lt Col McKinlay, who was known as Max, lived with Ms Kan at her home in Devizes, for nine months.

He moved out last July after a number of heated discussions and lived at the officers’ mess at Bulford. They were reconciled shortly afterwards but he continued to live at Bulford Camp until he took delivery of his narrowboat last December.

He moored it at All Cannings, Horton, Devizes, Pewsey, Honeystreet and Wilcot.

The boat, The Apple, is named after Ms Kan’s Mini and has the same colours as her car, red and green.

Ms Kan, a quality assurance manager at pharmaceutical firm Catalent in Swindon, said: “Ever since we met he wanted his own narrowboat and wanted a permanent home on the canal.

“I never liked the idea of living on a boat. We couldn’t live together but we couldn’t live without each other.”

Adrian and June Potts run the Barge Inn at Honeystreet. Mr Potts said: “We used to see him coming and going.

“He would call in but he would never sit here for hours on end. He used to like half pints.”

Mrs Potts also said he was a very good cook.