A 61-year-old grandad who died after a motorbike crash in the Ribble Valley has given the gift of life to two people.

Douglas Nolan’s life support machine was turned off on Thursday morning, five days after he was left with massive brain injuries following a crash in Slaidburn.

By that night his kidneys had been transplanted into two people waiting for a donor.

His family said they were comforted by Mr Nolan’s life-giving legacy.

Daughter Nadine Powell, said: “All of us in the waiting room as he was on the life support machine had a brother, husband or family member who could need or knew someone who needed an organ.

“He never stopped helping people and this is what he would have wanted to happen.

Mr Nolan, known as Duggie, who lived in Halliwell, Bolton, crashed his red Honda 750cc motorbike on the B6478 near Dugdale Lane at 4.20pm last Saturday.

No other vehicle was involved and the incident is under investigation. The experienced biker was navigating a simple bend and the police believe he was going no more than 30mph.

Officers are investigating whether a medical problem caused Mr Nolan to loose control.

Slaidburn villagers came to his aid before he was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

He was later transferred to the Royal Preston Hospital for more specialist treatment on his head injuries.

His family said he underwent surgery but died of massive brain injuries, ‘caused by the crash and complicated by a stroke’. The results of a post mortem examination will be known on Monday.

Mr Nolan worked as a mechanic for Smith Knight Fay Volkswagen in Bolton.

“He was a very fit, healthy and active man”, his family said in a statement. “He enjoyed playing tennis and was planning a microlight flight in Turkey later this month.

“It was because he was so healthy that he was able to donate his organs.”

He leaves daughter Nadine and son Glyn, and two grandchildren Katie and Alex.

His wife of 41 years Valerie said: “He brought sunshine into everything.”

Valerie also paid tribute to the hospital staff who cared for her husband, whom she met when they were both teenagers.

She said: “The staff in both hospitals did much more than just help Duggie.

“They were very sympathetic, sometimes crying with us.

“Members of my family work in the NHS and it didn’t let us down.

“We were also very grateful to the staff from the head injuries support charity for their help and support.”

Mr Nolan regularly went on bike rides with his son to Yorkshire, travelling back via Slaidburn where they enjoyed an ice cream and cup of tea before returning home to Bolton.

Mrs Powell, whose husband Adam’s family live in Blackburn, said her dad was a family man and a big character who enjoyed karaoke and line dancing.