TRIBUTES have been paid to a long-serving doctor who died suddenly at his home, aged 78.

Dr David Goodall worked as a consultant in Blackburn for nearly 20 years and his career in total spanned the best part of five decades.

The father-of-four died at his Park Lane home in Great Harwood last Tuesday

His son Paul Goodall said the family had been left shocked’ and devastated by his 'unexpected death'.

Mr Goodall, who lives in Clitheroe, said: “My dad passed away suddenly in the early hours of Tuesday, September 26.

“We are all shocked and devastated by his death which was very unexpected.”

Dr Goodall, who was married to wife Jackie for 54 years, worked as a consultant at Queen’s Park Hospital (now Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital) from 1986 to 2004.

Originally from Liverpool, Dr Goodall moved to Sarenga, in the state of West Bengal, India, with his family in 1967.

There, he served as a medical superintendent and doctor in charge of a hospital.

He then came back to Liverpool in 1980 and worked at the Oxford Street women’s hospital as a senior registrar.

After two years in Liverpool, Dr Goodall then moved to Great Harwood with his family in 1986.

He worked as a consultant at Queen’s Park Hospital until his retirement in 2004.

After retirement, Dr Goodall, who was a committed Christian, continued to work as a doctor up until his death.

He ran a clinic two days a week for the South Ribble Trust in Chorley and also continued his medical trips .

Mr Goodall, 52, described his dad as a ‘well-known and popular person’ in the community who dedicated his life to working in the NHS.

He said: “From the age of 13, he always had an ambition to be a doctor and went from there really.

“David was a kind, generous person who always had time for other people and to sit and talk whether it was medically related or not.

“He was a very knowledgeable and informative person and will be sadly missed.”

Dr Goodall leaves a wife Jackie. four children – Paul, Mark, Neil and Shona – and 15 grandchildren.

His funeral will take place at Trinity Methodist Church, Great Harwood at 1.45pm on Friday, October 6.

A private cremation will take place after the funeral.