A FORMER councillor who put his life and soul into local politics has been presented with a This Is Your Life'-style accolade for his services to the community.

Michael McShea, 62, who stood down as a Stacksteads councillor in this year's local elections, was honoured by his friend and neighbour Bryan Lamb. Bryan turned Michael Aspel and spent two weeks putting together a script of the his achievements over the past 14 years.

Bryan, who lives in Newchurch Road, and has been a volunteer at Stacksteads Neighbourhood Activity Centre, alongside Mr McShea, said: "I wanted to do something to say thank you to a fella that has done a lot of good work for Stacksteads.

"The material came from memory, and with the help of other people like my wife Christine who worked with Michael as a Stacksteads councillor."

He added: "The thing that sets Michael apart is that when people say it can't be done, Michael just keeps at it until it has been done.

"I am proud to know him and Stacksteads is a better place for him being here. I know he would have loved to have been mayor and would have been the best Rossendale has ever had.

"I would like to say thankyou Michael for the difference you have made."

Bryan penned: "1992 elected a remarkable councillor when it elected Michael. He was an active trade unionist. The red of his hair had a perfect reflection of his political will. His persistence and love for Stacksteads drove him to make many important and life-changing improvements to the locality."

Michael worked on many projects during his time as a councillor, including helping to regenerate the River Irwell, working with the Mersey Basin Trust and Rossendale Rivers to improve the quality of the Irwell.

His work also helped to rid the river, which would not support life, of pollution and iron contamination. Thanks to Michael's work, fish have now returned.

He went on to help set up Stacksteads Riverside Park Group, which was formed round his kitchen table with a group of friends, to carry out environmental work.

Michael said: "This is the nicest thing that anyone has ever done."