A PENSIONER was run over and killed as he crossed a busy road.

Tributes have been paid to former window cleaner Joseph Alan Hurst, who was hit in Wigan Road on Wednesday evening.

The 78-year-old — known to his friends as Alan — was also a regular at Farnworth and Kearsley Labour Club and had been a member there for the last 30 years.

He also worked in a bookmakers and as an engineer, following in his father’s footsteps working at Booths Steel Works.

In his 20s, Mr Hurst was also a keen amateur footballer, playing right back for Fowlers and Salts in Bolton Combination from 1957.

PC Peter Cunningham, from GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This is a truly devastating time for Joseph’s family and we are supporting them as best we can with the help of specialist officers.

“We are carrying out an investigation to establish the full facts and circumstances surrounding this collision last night and are keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident."

Mr Hurst was hit by a Skoda Fabia at about 7pm. The driver stopped at the scene.

The pensioner was not married and had no children.

His brother was yesterday too upset to speak to The Bolton News but appealed through the police for more information about the incident.

Friend and former football team mate Bob Cooper said: “I knew him from way back. I played football with him in Bolton Combination. We won the championship in 1958, so I suppose we were quite good.

“More recently I would always see him leaning on the telephone box in Wigan Road waiting for a bus into town, where he would go to the Labour club in Farnworth.

“I saw blue flashing lights on the night of the crash, but I never thought too much about it because you often see police and ambulances driving around here.

“When my son told me the following morning I was shocked. He was a quiet man who kept himself to himself but he was well known in Bolton and will be missed by many.”

A spokesman for the Farnworth and Kearsley Labour Club said: “Alan has been a long time member and came to the club twice a day, every day, catching two buses to the club and the same going home. He will be sadly missed.”

Anyone with information is asked to please contact the Investigation Unit directly on 0161 856 4741 or 4742.