A TOWN stood still to pay its last respects to a World War Two veteran who 'fought the good fight' against the closure of care homes.

'Stormin' Norman Hickey, who won the hearts of Lancashire people for opposing the closure of county council care homes, was given a military funeral yesterday.

The former soldier's coffin was draped in a Union Jack and carried to St Bartholomew's Church, in Park Lane, on a carriage drawn by two horses.

More than 100 mourners gathered at the church to sing "Fight the good fight" after the Great Harwood branch of the Royal British Legion assembled a guard of honour and carried standards.

After the service he was taken to Accrington Crematorium, in Burnley Road.

The Rev Lynn McGregor described Norman as a man who loved his wife and his country but felt his generation had been betrayed.

The 84-year-old died on Monday, September 23, five months after his wife Phoebe and a week after the closure of Northlands home where she was a resident. It is thought he suffered a stroke the previous Wednesday at his home in Lyndon Court, Great Harwood, and was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary, and later Queen's Park Hospital, where he passed away.

His wife of 55 years, Phoebe, was admitted to Northlands, in Park Lane, Great Harwood, in January last year, three days before Lancashire County Council announced it was one of the 32 homes across the county facing the chop.

The ex-serviceman, who fought with the East Lancashire Regiment's 5th Battalion, joined Hyndburn Action Committee (HAC) soon after and was at the forefront of protests, which were backed by a Lancashire Evening Telegraph campaign. In March he and his fellow campaigners won an 11th hour pledge from the authority to assess care home residents before moving them but many of the homes have now been shut.

The following month Phoebe, 86, died. As a tribute to Norman's dedication he was made honorary chairman of the HAC in June.

At a packed St Bartholomew's, Rev McGregor said: "It is only a few short months when we were here giving our farewells to Phoebe, Norman's beloved wife. Even then he was a tower of strength."

She added: "He felt sad that his generation had been let down and betrayed by the closure of the care homes and he put a tremendous amount of energy into fighting this."

Niece Sue Hanson, 58, of Allsprings Drive, Great Harwood, said: "He was a fantastic bloke. A kind and generous man of the people."Lynne Atkinson, said: "Norman was one of the most incredible people I have known. He may only have been 5ft 2ins but he had one of the biggest hearts in the world."