TRIBUTES have been paid to a dad-of-five whose children affectionately desc-ribed him as a "big man with a big heart".

Darren Brookes, 37, known as Bruno to his friends and family, was rushed to the Royal Blackburn Hospital after suffering chest pains at 4am on 10 March.

Mr Brookes’ family were told he had a clot inside a blood vessel which had burst, damaging the heart, and he would be kept in hospital for around five days.

Mr Brookes, of Regent Road, Church, was transferred to Blackpool Victoria Hospital the following day for an operation because he was still having pains. However, he died shortly after 6pm.

Daughter Summer said: "I was devastated when we heard and we are all still in shock. I can’t believe it’s happened to someone so young. He never had any health problems.

"He was always the life and soul of the party. He was a big man with a big heart. Every-one loved him.

"When he was in the ambulance going to Blackpool, I told him that they were going to fix him. I never expected him to die. I can’t accept the fact that he’s not coming back.

"He said he was getting severe pains in his chest, but thought it was just indigestion."

Summer added: "The number of sympathy cards we have received is unbelievable.

"When we went to see him at Blackburn we were told not to go on to Blackpool that night. We got a phone call at 6.25pm asking us to go to the hospital and when we arrived we were told he had died."

Mr Brookes was the carer for his wife of 14 years June, 53. She has been forced to move in with other members of the family as she suffers from emphysema and has trouble breathing.

Mr Brookes also leaves sons Damian, David, Carl and Gareth, mother Gwen, 10 grandchildren, son-in-law Andy, daughters-in-law Ingrid and Christine, brother Mark, sister Lorraine, uncle Tony, brothers-in-law, family and friends.

His funeral was held yesterday (Thursday) with a service at Accrington Cremat-orium Chapel before burial at Dill Hall Cemetery.

The family are holding a sponsored walk in his memory on 30 March, when they will travel from the Royal Blackburn Hospital, where Mr Brookes was treated, to Willow Mount Working Men’s Club, Accrington, where he was a member.

All the money raised will be donated to the British Heart Foundation.