A LARGE brass plaque on the wall of The Waggoners pub, Duke Bar, Burnley, bears the name "Seamus' Bar''.

Another brass plate has been erected at the nearby St Andrew's Conservative Club.

Many of the drinkers at both premises yesterday raised a glass towards the plaques and remembered their friend and colleague on hearing that his two killers had been given life sentences.

James "Seamus'' McParland had been having a quiet drink in both the pub and club on the night he died.

He left St Andrew's to return to his home close by in Briercliffe Road. He never made it. On his way he ran into the two killers and was kicked to death in an act of savagery and brutality which shocked the area and the police.

Seamus was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He died on the eve of his fiftieth birthday. A party was to have been held at the Waggoners to mark the milestone.

Among those at the bar yesterday was his nephew Sean McParland who called in to pass on the news of the conviction and sentencing on his way home from Preston Crown Court.

He said: "We are over the moon that they have got what they deserve. It doesn't bring my uncle back but at last it is all over and those two are behind bars for a long time.'' Sean said the trial had brought back a lot of memories of the tragedy which happened a year ago next weekend.

He said: "I was here in the Waggoners having a drink with him. I walked on to the club with him and after another drink there I came back leaving him.

"He was happy having a nice quiet drink and that is the last time I saw him.'' Sean added: "My own feeling is that because he was a member of my own family those who killed him should have faced the death sentence.

"But as a family we are just relieved that they have been put away for a long time.''

A friend at the bar said: "Everyone is glad they have been convicted and given life sentences. They have got what they deserved.

"Seamus didn't deserve to die like that.

"He was a nice quiet chap who wouldn't harm anyone.''

Behind the bar is a large collection bottle with a notice "In memory of Seamus''.

Money is being collected to pay for an in memoriam notice with a photograph in the local press next weekend - the anniversary of his murder.

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