A HEARTBROKEN son today launched a search for a first glimpse of his father -- 50 years after he was killed in a car crash.

Paul Chadwick has never seen his dad after the only known photograph of the Haslingden man was buried with his grandmother when she died.

He says it would be the best Christmas present he could ever wish to see what his dad looked like and to find out more about the man he never knew.

His dad, John Whalley, died when he was just 25 along with his younger brother Derek, 23, and five friends when a bus ploughed into their car on Whitworth Road, Rochdale in 1955.

Newspaper reports said the incident was Rochdale's worst road accident ever recorded.

The men, who had just finished building a new gasometer in Waterfoot, were returning from a night out to celebrate a friend's 30th birthday when the accident happened, around midnight on December 10.

The deaths sparked outrage among local people and the families after the bus driver was found guilty of manslaughter.

But Paul, who was then just eight months old, said the clock is ticking to find his dad's surviving friends who will now be over 70.

Paul, 50, of Sultan Street, Accrington, who lives with partner Dawn Critchley and their nine-year-old daughter Jade, said: "It would be the best Christmas present I could ever wish for to find out more about him. It's all I've ever wanted just to see a picture of him and to talk to somebody who knew him."

Paul, who was born and bred in Helmshore and owns Chadwick's Barrow Mix, added: "I was born out of wedlock so it's difficult to talk to my mum about it.

"We did find an aunt who told me I looked just like my dad and that was a very emotional point for me. It made me fill up.

"There's a huge void in my life and just to find a photo would fill that.

"We do know that a photo was taken of all the men who worked on the gas project and he was the tallest one on the picture. Perhaps the company he worked for still has it.

"I know he liked a drink but was a grafter and a good provider and that's what people say about me."

Dawn, who works for Rossendale Council, said: "We managed to trace an aunt last year but nobody had any pictures of his father. Paul's mother re-married and hadn't really kept anything."

John lived at 29 Jubilee Road, Haslingden.

The couple are also appealing for any surviving family members of the other men who died to get in contact.

They were: Fred White, of Bacup; Michael Nolan, of Rising Bridge; Sydney Munro, from Aberdeen, who was staying in Rawtenstall; William Cowell, of Helmshore, and Eric Law of Bacup.

Ring Paul on 01254 388016 or the Telegraph newsdesk on 01282 423161.