TRIBUTES have been paid to a fun-loving and humorous 90-year-old who has died from coronavirus in the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

William Henry Laycock, known as Harry, from Manor Brook in Accrington passed away on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 18.

His daughter Ann Bailey said: “My father loved life and lived it to the full right up to the end.”

Former looming and twisting manager Mr Laycock had been admitted to the hospital the previous weekend. He was confirmed as a Covid-19 case on the Monday and died two days later.

As well as Mrs Bailey, 57 from Cliviger, he leaves a son, Alan Laycock, 61 from Worsthorne, four grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and a partner of several years Dorothy who has been confirmed with coronavirus although displaying no obvious symptoms and is currently in the Royal Blackburn.

Born in Trawden, Mr Laycock worked in several mills in East Lancashire and Yorkshire and spent two spells in Nigeria helping train local workers for the African country’s growing textile industry.

Earlier this week the Lancashire Telegraph reported the death from coronavirus of Bill Smith, from Great Harwood, who was in his 80s and suffered from underlying health conditions.

The news of Mr Laycock’s death came as a second Blackburn with Darwen resident was confirmed as having coronavirus and the total number of covid-19 cases in Lancashire hit 81 including eight in Blackpool.

Mrs Bailey said: “My father was a keen sequence dancer.

“He was fiercely independent and was dancing and driving the week before he went into hospital.

“He was very gregarious with a fabulous sense of humour. My father was very down to earth, very practical and gave straight answers.

“He had beaten bladder cancer in his 80s and it is so sad he went down to this virus and then got pneumonia. My father had no underlying health problems.

“He was intrepid and liked travelling and seeing things and places, enjoying his time in Nigeria.

“My father will be very much missed by his family and many others. He was a lovely man. He loved dancing.

“In the current circumstances we will have a cremation attended by four people then a bigger memorial service later after this coronavirus crisis is over.”

Professor Dominic Harrison, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s public health director, said: “I am sorry to hear of this further tragic death at the Royal Blackburn Hospital. It is inevitable there will be further cases and deaths.

“This just shows how important it is to avoid unnecessary social contact.”