A man well-known in Little Harwood who is described as a “legend and a true angel” has died aged 67.

Yunus Pandor, known locally as Reggie, was known in the community for his sweet shop on Whalley Old Road throughout the 1980s.

Running the shop, known as Reggie’s Sweet Shop, for around 15 years it quickly became the hub of Little Harwood, and people adored its owner who was seen as a father figure to many.

Paying tribute, lifelong friend Nazir Musa said: “He will be remembered as a true legend of Little Harwood.

“Reg stood out as a legend and a true angel, the like we will never see again.

“He was a mild-mannered, calm, highly-educated, intelligent, articulate human being who had time for everybody.”

Following his death, hundreds of people commented on a community Facebook page with several people suggesting erecting a plaque in his honour. 

After leaving Blackburn in the mid-1990s, Reggie moved to Malawi where he took on a lot of charity work and was secretary of the Malawi Dedza Welfare Trust based in Lilongwe.

Nazir added: “He just had this way with people, everybody loved him, and he loved everybody.

“He was a very mild-mannered individual who had time for everybody.

“When he passed away a couple of weeks ago, just the Facebook comments sum it up.”

Reggie’s shop was known for its popular tub lollies which sold out most days over the summer months.

One tribute said: “He will be remembered as one of the greatest men in Little Harwood, who looked after the community from his sweet shop and welcomed so many people over the doorstep and not just for his tub lollies.”

Reggie returned to the UK at the start of the year to visit family before going to India for an operation where he died from prostate cancer.