A RELATIVE of Blackburn Rovers founder John Lewis has been found after she answered an appeal to trace his descendants in the Lancashire Telegraph.

Club chairman John Williams made the appeal after the club founder's grave was discovered in a derelict state.

Gwenda Haydock, Mr Lewis's great great niece, who lives in Blackburn, has since come forward and is now in discussions with the club about plans to properly mark his burial site.

The state of his grave was first brought to the club's attention after Merseyside author Peter Lupson, in research for a new football book, discovered Mr Lewis's long-forgotten grave in Blackburn Municipal Cemetery.

Mr Lewis, a coachbuilder and promoter of the Temperance Movement, launched the club in 1875.

Mr Williams said he was keen for the club to mark the grave and to highlight the role Mr Lewis played in the creation of Blackburn Rovers.

Mr Lewis moved to Blackburn as a young man. He was a player for Rovers for many years but had to stop after an ice skating accident.

As well as playing in the club's first match, Mr Lewis also helped found the Lancashire Football League. He became a referee and died in 1926 aged 70.