A DARTS tournament will be held in tribute to a Bacup man who died of a heart attack aged just 38.

Friends and family of Paul Baines will gather at his local the Swan Hotel pub, in Market Street, to celebrate the life of one of the pub’s favourite characters.

Mr Baines was rec-ognised as one of the most prominent darts players in the Lancashire league before his death on July 10 last year.

The landlord of the pub where he was a regular darts player and a karaoke organ-iser will hold an all-day darts event on the one-year anniversary of Paul’s death.

David Sant, landlord at the Swan and a close friend, said: “He was one those people who loved to have fun and was a real bubbly character.

“I used to drink with him here before I took over the pub and he sorted out the karaoke and he would get up and sing from time to time as well.

“It was a real tragedy when he died.

“The night it happ-ened he was playing a friendly game of poker with us.

“He was complaining of pains in his right arm and kept holding it throughout the even-ing.

“Sadly he passed away that night. All the proceeds of the event will be given to the British Heart Foundation who have provided us with t-shirts for the tourn-ament.”

An investigation into Paul’s sudden death concluded Mr Baines died of a heart attack.

The event will be held on July 10 from 10am and will include a raffle, an auction and live music from local bands.

For more information on the issues surr-ounding heart disease call the British Heart Foundation help-line on 0300 330 3311 or alter-natively visit the group’s website at www.bhf.org.uk