ONE of Bolton's best-known figures has died after losing his battle against cancer.

For more than five years, Bob Hill served thousands of Bolton Evening News readers, selling them their daily paper to keep them in touch with everything going on in the town.

He became a well-known face to shoppers and retailers as he manned his stand outside Marks and Spencer on Deansgate.

But five weeks ago Bob, aged 74, of Tonge Moor, had to give up the job he loved as cancer took hold, attacking his bowel and liver.

Yesterday, the father-of-four lost his battle for life in the Royal Bolton Hospital where he had been receiving treatment after contracting pneumonia.

His widow, Irene, aged 71, said: "He loved his job. It didn't matter if it was snowing or raining, he would be out there selling papers.

"We even joked with him that we were going to bring his stand into the hospital so he could sell papers to the nurses as they went past.

"He was a great man. I loved him and everybody that knew him loved him.

"We will all miss him terribly."

Only this year, the BEN highlighted Bob's caring approach to his customers, when an actress donned an OAP disguise to see how the public reacted when she presented to be in trouble.

She paid Bob too much money for her copy of that night's BEN and walked away, only to be chased by the honest vendor who handed her 22p change.

He was also so concerned about her open purse that he insisted that she place it in her bag.

At the time, he told the BEN: "I'm sure most people my age would do the same."