IT was a poignant moment for Les Ratcliffe when he presses the button to draw Bury Hospice's Red Rose Lottery on Friday.

That's because after nine years of being the lottery promoter, Les is stepping down and the draw, along with the phone call to the lucky owner of the £1,000 winning ticket, was his final duty.

Paying tribute to Les, Mervyn Reeves, hospice fund-raising manager, said: "We are sorry he is running down his workload but delighted that he is continuing to be the president."