A STALWART of Blackrod politics has died after serving people in the village for 31 years.
Cllr Lance Watkinson, of Manchester Road, who died of cancer, was first elected as an urban district councillor in 1961.
He represented Blackrod's Central Ward as a Labour councillor until the last elections in the village in 1999 when he was elected to represent the South Ward.
Cllr Watkinson, who used to work at Horwich Loco Railway Works, served as chairman of the Urban District Council in 1972 and became Mayor of Blackrod in 1985. He leaves a widow Mary.
Blackrod town clerk Christine Pearson said: "It's sad to see such a character go."
Mona Troop, who was a neighbour of Cllr Watkinson's, said: "He always stood up for Blackrod and was born and bred here.
"He had been ill for a long time, but had been putting on a brave face.
"He will be sadly missed by the community."
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