Tributes have been paid to a well-loved family man following his sudden death, aged 69.

David Rigg suffered a heart attack on Saturday, January 25.

A joiner by trade, David’s four-year renovation project of Dyke Nook Lodge, on Whalley Road, brought back into use one of the most historic houses in the borough some five years ago.

David’s wife of 42 years, Margaret, said his sudden death ‘still feels so raw’.

She described living in the house, formerly owned by industrialist Sir William Cocker, as ‘David’s dream come true’.

David’s son, Darren, 49, told how the community respected the efforts of his ‘hard-working, loyal’ father ‘who will be missed by everyone’.
He said: “The whole town spoke about it and there was a lot of demand to come and have a look around.

“People were very grateful to him.

“Whenever I was round at the house people would come and knock on the door to see his work.”

He painstakingly restored the house to its original condition and regularly received praise from passers-by in the street or when he was walking his favourite dog, Laddy.

David was landlord of The Stag Inn in Church in the 1980s, and together with Margaret then ran the Lumb Valley Residential Home in Rossendale for three decades.

David is survived by his wife, Margaret, son, Darren, two grandchildren, Morgan, 12, and Ava, 10, brothers Raymond and Terry, 70, and their extended families.

The funeral is to be held at St James The Less Roman Catholic Church, on Burnley Road, on Tuesday, February 4 at noon before interment at Rawtenstall Cemetery.