A CRICKET fan loved watching the game so much he donated £10,000 to his favourite club after he died.

Peter Bryan Fletcher decided to say thank you to members of Horwich cricket club after dying of cancer at the age of 52.

For years he was a regular spectator at home and away games in the Bolton League.

And when he lost his battle against cancer he made sure that his friends at the club would be able to watch the game in some comfort.

Peter and his friends would sit on a low wall at matches, but following his death he left the cash to the cricket club to use for making improvements at the club's Ramsbottom Road ground. Some of that has been used to provide 12 benches around the playing area.

Four trustees at the club have been responsible for allocating the money and they have also earmarked cash to providing shutters to the scorebox as well as general improvements to the facilities.

One of the trustees, Carol Hornby, said: "Peter was always a familiar figure at first team games, and his gift has meant that his memory will live on."

The club has also provided a Peter Bryan Fletcher Memorial bat, which will be awarded to the Horwich man of the match in the first fixture of May each year. The player's name will be engraved on the bat, which will be hung behind the bar in the club pavilion.

Peter's mother Joan said: "Peter was a lover of all sports but always watched the cricket at Horwich. He had lots of friends there and wanted to make sure they would continue to watch the matches a little more comfortably than they had done before."