A PUB regular was found dead in his home after staff realised he had not visited their bar for a few days.

Bernard Hadcroft, aged 63, went to the Man and Scythe pub, on Churchgate, Bolton, almost every day -- and when he failed to turn up for a week, staff and customers began to worry.

Police were called and cancer sufferer Mr Hadcroft was found dead in his Astley Bridge home.

Today, the pub's regulars continue to mourn the death of a man they have called "a nice, popular guy."

Landlord John Jewitt said: "One of our customers who was in regular contact with Bernard rang us to say she had not heard from him for a while.

"She asked us if we had seen him but the last time he had visited was Christmas Eve. The police were called and unfortunately he was found dead."

Mr Hadcroft was diagnosed with cancer a year ago and told he had only a few months to live.

But he set himself two short-term aims -- to see the birth of his grandchild and the publication of his son's book. He lived to see them both.

Mr Jewitt said: "He was in here most days and everyone loved him. He was a nice, popular guy.

"At first we didn't think it was strange when he didn't turn up because he doesn't normally like it when we're busy but then we realised something was wrong."

Mr Hadcroft leaves behind his sons William, Jonathan and Matthew. He was father-in-law to Carol and Louise and grandfather of Dominic.

The funeral service takes place at 10.30am on Tuesday at Overdale Crematorium.