Tributes have been paid to a much-loved community figure who has died aged 88.

Jack Thornton was a member of All Saints Church choir in Clayton-le-Moors for a staggering 80 years and also ran two barber shops for 30 years.

The grandfather also helped found the former Clayton-le-Moors Civic Society with his late wife Alice during the 1970s and 1980s.

Mr Thornton, of Lynwood Avenue, passed away on Friday, April 5.

His daughter Helen Gee said he was a ‘great dad with a great sense of humour’.

She said: “He was born, brought up and worked in Clayton. He just knew everybody there.

“All Saints was his local church and as soon as he was old enough he joined the choir. He absolutely loved singing in the choir and was still going to church until recently.

“He got the civic society up and running and enjoyed researching the history of Clayton. When my mum was alive they used to enjoy going on a few foreign trips.”

She added: “He did have a few health problems and he was just about managing at home until about two weeks ago. He declined very quickly.”

Mr Thornton became an apprentice hairdresser at the age of 14 and later owned two barber shops in Barnes Street and Whalley Road.

He then worked in the sales office at Carborundum in Clayton-le-Moors before retiring.

The well-known chorister was a former president of the Accrington Clef Club and member since the 1940s and also sang at Blackburn Cathedral Choir, Hyndburn Singers and Burnley Lieder Group.

Peter Fielding, member of Accrington Clef Club, said he was a ‘great character’.

He said: “He was a very good baritone and he used to sing a lot of German songs in German. He had a very good voice.

“He was a great guy, really funny and very opinionated. If he didn’t like something he would tell you.”

Mr Thornton was also a member of Accrington Naturalists Society and had a great interest and knowledge of nature.

Husband of the late Alice who died in 2008, he leaves

daughters Margaret and Helen, sons-in-law Bill and Tony, granddaughter Kath and her partner Ed.

A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, April 17 at All Saints Church, Clayton-le-Moors at 11.45am followed by cremation at Accrington Crematorium at 1pm.