POPULAR Leigh magistrate and Golborne councillor Arthur Johnson has died, aged 73.

The former engineer fell ill last October and spent the last few months of his life under the care of Macmillan nurses.

Mr Johnson, who served as a magistrate for 23 years until his retirement in 1998, took on a number of other roles in the town and was a councillor for 19 years.

He was a governor of Lowton High School and vice-chairman of Lowton County Primary School. He was also co-opted on the housing committee of Wigan Council for 22 years.

His daughter, Carol, said: "He was a happy man and he would help anybody. Nothing was too much trouble for him.

"Half of Lowton would go to him if they wanted a reference. He was seen as a respectable person."

Mr Johnson, of Maple Avenue, Lowton, left school at the age of 15 and joined the navy.

A few years later, he served an engineering apprenticeship but was made redundant in 1986.

He enjoyed playing bowls, darts and dominos, and he was a regular punter at Lowton Labour Club and the Red Lion pub in Lowton.

He was married to 75-year-old Agnes, with two daughters, Carol, 48, and Lynn, 50.

Mr Johnson also leaves three grand-children, Catherine, 26, Mark, 21, and Kerry, 16.

His funeral service was held at St Catherine's of Sienna, Newton Road, Lowton, on Monday.