HUNDREDS of people attended the funeral of a former Rishton landlord who died after losing his battle with a brain tumour.

Family and friends of 54-year-old Ian Walsh attended the service at Accrington Crematorium after stopping by The Roebuck Inn, which he used to run, for a minute’s silence.

Hundreds then returned to the pub in High Street following the service where a rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone was sung by the mourners in honour of the lifelong Liverpool FC fan.

Ian, who died last month, was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in April and married his partner, Glenda, at Royal Blackburn Hospital as he fought the illness.

They used to run The Roebuck Inn, the pub in which they met shortly after Ian moved to the town a decade ago having spent 30 years as a firefighter in Liverpool. After being told he had weeks to live Mr and Mrs Walsh, 48, decided to bring their wedding forward.

They eventually tied the knot in a side room at Royal Blackburn Hospital on Wednesday, April 29.

Glenda said: “He was my best friend and my soulmate. I knew I was going to get him when I first saw him.

“He walked into the pub where I was working and I knew straight away.

“The funeral was amazing and it was a real celebration of Ian.

“I was going to read something out but I knew that I couldn’t so I asked the minister to do it for me. When he finished everybody clapped, it was very emotional.

Lancashire Telegraph:

“There were so many people packed into the crematorium - I would say there were there several hundred.

“The pub during the wake was heaving as well and it was all a fitting send off for Ian.

“It was amazing when everybody was singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and you just felt everybody coming together to celebrate his life.”

Following the service red balloons were released.

The mourners had been asked to avoid wearing black.

Donations were also given to the East Lancashire Hospice.

Following his death in August, Glenda said her husband had had a ‘heart as big as the world’.