BURNLEY vicar Fr Alan Taylor died suddenly on Saturday evening after babysitting his young grandchildren.

Mr Taylor, 63, was one of the longest serving members of the clergy in the area and had been at St Mark's for 33 years.

He was a private, family man with two daughters and five grandchildren.

It is understood he had a heart attack while at his daughter Melanie's home in Harle Syke and was taken to Burnley General Hospital.

Shocked church members were told of Mr Taylor's death when they arrived for the Sunday service. Recently retired Burnley vicar Bryan Robinson, one of Mr Taylor's oldest friends, took the service in his place.

The Bishop of Blackburn, the Rev. Alan Chesters, paid tribute to Mr Taylor as a faithful parish priest who had served St Mark's in a quiet and unassuming way.

He said: "I was very sad to learn of the death of Father Alan Taylor. I know what a tremendous loss his death will be to the people of St Mark's."

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