A FORMER teacher from Accrington who influenced the lives of thousands of schoolchildren has died after a long battle with cancer.

Leo Warren, 67, a teacher and vice-principal at Cardinal Newman College, formerly Preston Catholic College, was involved in education for 39 years.

Hundreds of people, including priests from across the county, attended a requiem mass at St Wilfrid's Church, Chapel Street, Preston. followed by a private funeral service.

Mr Warren joined the Roman Catholic college as a history teacher in 1960 and later became vice-principal and a governor, before retiring in 1999.

John Cowdall, a friend and chairman of the college's governing body, said: "He was a first class teacher. Leo had a great impact on all the students he taught and has helped to shape and mould the futures of many of them.

"He was quite an eccentric man and many people will remember him for his duffel coat and his dog that would follow him everywhere."

"He was so considerate even to the point where he planned his own funeral. He wanted it to be at night so the teachers didn't need to take any time off work."

Mr Warren's twin sister ,Frances Britnell, of Accrington, said she and her husband Jeff and daughters Ursula and Anita were going to miss him.

"He was a lovely brother and looked after our mum and dad until they died and doted on his nieces," she said.

Mr Warren, who lived in Accrington, wrote books on Lancashire churches, including St Wilfrid's, where he was in charge of arranging mass.

Brother Vincent McArdle, of St Wilfrid's, Preston, said: "He always did a great job and was an asset to the church."

Mr Warren had fought cancer for more than seven years. He had been in remission when his condition deteriorated and he died in Park Lee Hospital, Blackburn.