FORMER England cricket coach David Lloyd has described a former headteacher who died earlier this month as 'a true gentleman and very accomplished sportsman'.

Terence Neville from Rishton was goalkeeper for Accrington Stanley Football Club in the late 1960s and early 1970s as well as keeping wicket for the town's Lancashire League cricket club.

The former head of Accrington Moorhead High School died aged 83 on Sunday December 9 after suffering from kidney failure at Blackburn Royal Hospital.

A Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday 20 at 11.30am at St Charles Roman Catholic Church in Rishton followed by a committal at 1pm at Accrington Crematorium.

Mr Lloyd, former captain and coach of Lancashire Cricket Club who was coached at football by Mr Neville, said: "He was a brilliant bloke, always polite.

"Mr Neville was a true gentleman and very accomplished sportsman. He was always a good man to ask for measured and thoughtful advice."

His son John, 49 and former manager of Blackburn Hawks ice hockey team, said: “He was an honest, kind and caring man. He was always doing things for other people - and he was very sporty.

“He was Stanley through and through and had a season ticket and saw everything last season.

“He liked to read books, and my mum and dad would watch football and cricket together.

“She’s lost her life companion. They were married for 54 years and knew each other for 64.”

Mr Neville was a trustee of Accrington Stanley FC between 2014 and 2018 and sat as a JP at the town's Magistrates Court for many years.

Mr Neville leaves his wife Eileen (82); son John and daughter Sarah and grandchildren Samuel, Megan, Hannah and Nathan.

He was the son of the Moses and Mary and brother of the late Father John and the late Sheila.

Family flowers only are requested at the funeral with donations in memory of Mr Neville for the North-West Air Ambulance charity.