FORMER Burnley Mayor Jesse Bradshaw died suddenly after collapsing outside his son's home.

Paramedics and hospital staff fought to revive Mr Bradshaw, but he was pronounced dead at Burnley General Hospital on Thursday evening. He was 66.

His widow Mary said: "He had just taken his granddaughter back home to Cardinal Street when he collapsed. I would like to thank the paramedics and the hospital staff for all they tried to do to help Jesse.

"The coroner said he died as a result of angina and heart disease. He had suffered a heart attack in America in 1992 but he had not complained of any problems since."

The flag at Burnley Town Hall was at half-mast as a mark of respect for the former councillor Mary described as "a wonderful man" and "a man of the people".

She said he never stopped trying to help his community and people were always telephoning their house in Elm Street asking him for help and he would never turn anybody away.

The Labour stalwart was Mayor in 1983-4 and Mary was at his side as Mayoress. She said they really enjoyed the experience and the chance to meet people. He was as a local councillor on the former borough council from 1969 and served continuously after local government reorganisation until 1991. He was a former leader of the Labour group and chairman of Burnley and Pendle Joint Transport, housing chairman and a union convenor at the former Prestige where he worked as a maintenance fitter.

Burnley MP Peter Pike said: "I am sorry to hear of the sad death of Jesse Bradshaw. Jesse had a lifetime of work in the Trade Union and Labour Movement until he hit health problems a few years ago. Despite that he was still fighting hard to secure improvement in Daneshouse Ward.

"He was a vigorous fighter for things in which he believed and his death is a very sad blow."

Mary said she was still in a state of shock over what had happened, but she was grateful for the support from her family and neighbours.

Jesse leaves two sons Stephen and Glenn, a daughter Pauline, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be on Wednesday with a service at Burnley Crematorium at 3.30pm.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Burnley Coun Eddie Fisk and Mrs Pat Chadwick will be among the mourners and Mary said she welcomed anyone who wanted to pay their respects. Flowers will be received and donations for heart research can be sent to the funeral director: Co-operative Funeral Services, Colne Road, Burnley.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.