A COMMUNITY champion who spent more than 50 years helping the people of Blackburn has lost his fight for life.

Stan Fletcher, of Dorchester Close, was known throughout the town as the founder of the Solvent Abuse Resource Group (SARG) and as a fighter for the causes of young people.

The war hero, who received a certificate from the French government for his part in the Normandy landings shortly before he died, had a history of heart problems.

He died at his home on Thursday, January 8, and today his friends and family spoke of his spirit and dedication.

His wife of 45 years, Mary, said: "He was never still. Life was always very full for him. But he was really unassuming, and he didn't know what he had done for people.

"He used to tell us, 'give over, I'm not a war hero!'"

Stan started work as an apprentice monumental mason after leaving the Royal Navy following the end of the Second World War.

But he found his way into social work which became his lifetime's commitment. As a child care officer he often took on youngsters many people had considered unreachable.

And it was through his social work that he came to set up SARG in 1989, which has now been taken over by the national charity Lifeline, and is based in Darwen Street.

His daughter Anne said: "He pioneered quite a lot of work on solvent abuse. He really cared, especially for young people. My dad was renowned, and he had all the cases that nobody wanted.

"He had a very busy life, and never stopped. That was what he found so hard in the last couple of years. He was a people person, and a very active man."

During his life Stan became chairman of the Blackburn Scout movement, member of the Ribble Valley Football Association committee, president of the Balderstone Brass Band and chair of the Governors of St Mary and St Joseph's RC Primary School, Bennington Street.

But he suffered a series of heart attacks throughout his life, and twenty years ago had a bypass operation which doctors barely expected him to live through.

But the lifelong Blackburn Rovers fan survived.

Mary, 83, said: "The doctors called him the miracle man. He recovered and carried on working. He retired at 65 but he had another ten years working.

"He made us a very close family, and there will be a great hole in our lives."

Current manage of Lifeline, Keith Owen, also a former manager of SARG and colleague of Stan, said: "I was very upset to hear of his death, and he will be sadly missed."

Friend and former colleague Anne Higginson said: "He was a phenomenal person, a Mother Theresa and Gandhi all rolled into one. He was all things to all men and was always doing good things for people."

Stan's funeral is due to take place today at St Joseph's Church, Audley.