THE former head of long-established Burnley shoe and sports store, Mr Albert Cocker, has died at his home in Hereford. He was 83.

Mr Cocker and his brother Fred ran the family-owned shoe shop Herbert Cocker and Sons which has operated in the same Keirby Walk premises for more than a century.

In the early 1950s they introduced sports shoes and created one of the area's leading sportswear and equipment outlets.

Widower Mr Cocker was well known in amateur sports in Burnley and captained Burnley Cricket Club where he was a life member. He was for many years chairman of the football section of Belvedere and Caldervale Rugby Club.

Mr Cocker, who leaves a daughter Sylvia, still worked part time at the sports shop, now headed by his nephew, Ken, until two years ago. The cremation takes place in Burnley tomorrow.

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