THE family of a 46-year-old former bookmaker who died suddenly have spoken of their shock and devastation.

Stephen Carysforth from Blackburn died in hospital after suffering from internal bleeding.

He was well-known in the area, having run family business Carysforth Racing, Johnston Street, with his brother Michael, 44, before it was sold as a going concern in 2003.

Their grandfather founded the business nearly 70 years ago.

The dad-of-three had been suffering from ill health for a number of years, and had been on the waiting list for a liver transplant.

His sister Susan Blackwell said: "Ste had not been well for a long time.

"He and Michael took over the running of the bookmakers from dad when he retired 12 years ago, but his ill health was the reason it was sold.

"But although we knew that, his death came as a total shock. It was so quick."

Stephen, the second of four children, admitted himself to Royal Blackburn Hospital early on Monday, after he began vomiting blood.

Doctors called his family in at 9am, to say they were going to take him to intensive care to find the cause of the internal bleeding.

But he took a turn for the worse and died at 10.15am, still on the assessment ward.

Mrs Blackwell, 47, of Greenpark Close, said: "Only Michael, myself and Ste's eldest daughter Lisa were there to see him because it was all so fast.

"But I'll be forever grateful that we were there for him."

She said Stephen will be remembered best for being "the life and soul of the party", and a devoted dad to Lisa, 26, Becky, 22, and 12-year-old Kyle. He was also grandad to Oliver, six, and Jake, 18 months.

Mrs Blackwell, school business manager at Wensley Fold Primary, said: "He absolutely worshipped his children, they were his life, he spent as much time as he could with them."

His funeral will be on Tuesday. A cortege will set off from outside his house in Montreal Road at 11am and will pass by the former Johnston Street business premises, for a service at St Mark's Church at 11.15am before burial at Pleasington.

All are welcome to join the family at Old Blackburnians Football Club in Lammack Road from 12.30pm onwards.