A FORMER Rossendale Council leader and ex-Mayor Alan Fishwick has lost his battle with cancer.

The grandfather, who was 61 and lived in Burnley Road, Rawtenstall, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in September 1998 and in 1999 bravely told his story to encourage others to seek immediate help if they were worried they may have the condition.

Mr Fishwick underwent surgery to remove the cancer and then received a course chemotherapy at Burnley General Hospital. He had been in remission for three years until August when the cancer was found to have spread to his lymph system and lungs.

Mr Fishwick twice led Rossendale Council and was in charge when the controversial setts were uncovered on Bank Street in Rawtenstall.

Together with his wife Marie as Mayoress, he was the borough's first citizen from 1995 to 1996 and represented Longholme Ward for 12 years until May 2000.

He was a member of St James the Less RC Church, Rawtenstall, where Father David Lupton will lead a Requiem Mass on Friday at 9.30am before interment in Rawtenstall Cemetery.

Mr Fishwick was born in Rawtenstall and educated at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School and Manchester University.

He taught at the former St Ambrose School, which later became All Saints' High in Rawtenstall, and he retired from St Theodore's in Burnley, where he taught economics, politics and business studies.

He was a former chairman of governors at BRGS and had only recently given up being chairman of governors at All Saints' due to his ill health.

He leaves his wife, a daughter Elizabeth, son Alex and partner Joanne, three grandchildren and a brother and sister.

Mrs Fishwick said: "He would have been having six courses of of treatment but after he had four he was finding it quite arduous.

"He was transferred from Blackburn Royal to Queen's Park just over a week ago and we just wanted to get him home and we managed to do so.

"We had wonderful service from the hospice at home and also from the district nurses. His GP came every day and twilight nurses, they were wonderfully skilled professionals trained to give palliative care.

"He died at home on Sunday surrounded by his family, it was really peaceful."

Mrs Fishwick said she had been inundated with cards and calls from people passing on their condolences .

A minute's silence was held last night at the Engineer and Planning Committee.