FRIENDLY giant Fred Kempster's biographer is appealing to relatives of a late Blackburn mill manager for information that could solve a 40-year mystery.

Coun William 'Billy' Thompson was Fred's agent and travelled to inns and music halls with the 8ft 4ins colossus at the turn of this

century.

Author Colin Alexander-Jones, said: "When Thompson died after the Second World War Fred's headstone was replaced with the inscription, 'gone but not forgotten by Billy'." Now Colin is trying to find out about Billy and the headstone.

"Fred died in 1918 at the age of 29 and was buried in Whalley New Road cemetery, paid for by colleagues in the Royal Antediluvian order of Buffaloes," he said.

Edith Nice, 86 and a great grandmother, Fred's niece and only living relative said: "He was a very affectionate person, especially with children. He used to nurse me as a baby, I was never frightened of him."

London-born Fred was 'adopted' by Blackburn after he took part in a sideshow in a local penny bazaar.

He used to saunter down the street in his size 22 boots and weighing 27 stones, lighting cigarettes from gas lamps and shaking hands with people through their upstairs windows.

In 1914, after touring with an American circus, he was captured while fighting in Germany but was released because his captives did not have enough food to satisfy his huge appetite.

Fred's daily diet consisted of up to 14 lbs of cereal, four pints of Oxo, two pints of milk, 10 eggs and 4 cottage loaves.

If anybody has information they can contact Colin on 01225 318348.

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