STAFF and pupils will line the streets to pay their respects to a teacher when his funeral cortege passes the school.

And the wife of Roger Barlow, 49, has paid tribute to her husband saying: "Life wont be the same without him."

Father-of-four Mr Barlow, a religious education teacher at Blessed Trinity Community College, collapsed after getting out of a swimming pool at Crow Wood Leisure on Monday.

He was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital where he died shortly after arriving.

A retired police sergeant, Mr Barlow, who was also trained to become a teacher six years ago and worked at Towneley High School before moving to Blessed Trinity Community College.

Staff and students at Blessed Trinity will be lining up outside the college on Wednesday morning to pay their respects at the hearse drives by.

His wife, Denise Barlow, of Todmorden Road, paid tribute to him.

She said: "He was a kind and helpful man who was fun loving and always cracked people up. He always went out of the way to help people and was a great father. He was so proud of his children, and he would be so proud of them for how they have being helping each other through this.

"We still can't believe he has gone. Life won't be the same without him."

Mr Barlow was born in Rossendale and moved to Burnley 13 years ago. He was a keen runner and had taken part in marathons in London, the Humber Bridge and Manchester for Cancer research and MIND.

He was due to take part in the Edinburgh marathon with his friend Martin O'Brien later in the year.

Mrs Barlow said: "He was in training for the Edinburgh marathon and had lost quite a bit of weight through training. He was a huge Blackburn Rovers supporter and would go most weeks with his dad. "He was the happiest he had ever been and was very focused on the training for the marathon.

"We have received hundred's of cards and would like to thank everyone for their kind wishes."

Headteacher of Blessed Trinity Community College, Bernadette Bleasdale said: "On Tuesday we held a volunteers lunchtime mass at both sites at the school which were packed.

"We have also created a memorial corner with a book of condolence for everyone to sign.

"We will be represented at the funeral on Wednesday: our choir will be singing and members of staff will be attending.

"Not everyone from the school will be able to attend so we will be lining up outside the school as the hearse drives by. We will also be holding a mass at 3pm which will be open to the public and members of Unity College will be attending.

"He was a very well liked and well respected, cheerful man who will be greatly missed. He had a great sense of humour and did a lot for the Polish community at our school."

The mass will be held at St Mary's RC Church in Burnley at lunch time on Wednesday and he will be buried at Haslingden Cemetery.

The family are asking for donations to Derian House Children's Hospice which can be given through Alderson and Horan Funeral Services on 01282 427483.

He leaves his wife Denise and children, Hannah Barlow 17, Joseph 13, Christopher Barlow 23, and Rebecca Lane 25.