A LONG-SERVING county councillor has been found dead at his Nelson home two days after returning from holiday in Tunisia where he had been treated in hospital following a fall.

Police forced their way into the Nelson flat of Joe French at the Imperial Gardens sheltered housing complex yesterday lunchtime after they were alerted by relatives who had not heard from the 78-year-old bachelor following his return on Sunday evening.

During his two-week trip to the resort of Sousse, Coun French fell and broke his nose and was in hospital for four days. It is not clear whether his death is related to the fall, but East Lancashire coroner David Smith has been informed.

The Labour stalwart completed his holiday and returned to Manchester on Sunday evening and was brought home by taxi.

His only relatives, sister Margaret Taylor and her husband Robert, who live on the Fylde coast, said they became concerned after Coun French failed to get in touch and his telephone was permanently engaged.

Police entered his home and found Coun French in an armchair.

Coun French was born in Nelson and lived in the town all his life. He worked for many years at Walter Pollard's cotton mill in Glenfield Road, before joining Burnley, Colne and Nelson transport where he rose to become an inspector. He retired in the mid 1980s. He served as a Labour councillor in Nelson's Clover Hill and Whitefield wards before retiring from Pendle Council in 1996. He was a county councillor for the Nelson division until his death.

Coun French served on Burnley Health Authority in the 1980s and was an outspoken defender of local health services.

A staunch Roman Catholic, he was also a lifelong member of Nelson Holy Saviour's Church.

Pendle Council colleague and fellow health campaigner Frank Clifford, chairman of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Community Health Council (CHC) said Joe had done good work over many years and would be missed.

He said: "Joe never turned away anyone needing help from his door. His life wasn't really his own because he was constantly answering calls for help."

Coun Azhar Ali, Labour leader on Pendle Council, said Coun French was a Nelsoner who had real pride in the town.

He said: "He was a very hard worker for the Labour Party and county council and fought hard for Nelson and Lancashire."

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