A PIANIST who overcame a stroke to keep playing the music he loved has died of heart failure aged 59.

Eddie Peacock, who performed for everyone from the Pope to Sooty, relearnt to play using only one hand after a stroke deprived him of the use of his right hand 11 years ago.

Eddie, a Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School pupil in Blackburn, first played on television aged only 11, representing Blackburn in "Top Town".

He won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music and was the youngest person to become an associate of the college, aged 17.

He later toured the country, playing with many great entertainers including Gene Pitney and Norman Wisdom, before becoming musical director for Freddie Starr and the Nolan sisters.

He met his wife Christine, from Darwen, when playing at Blackpool where she was working in a theatre bar.

Too shy to ask her for a date, he threw a party so he could invite her. They later settled in Thornton Cleveleys and had three children, Laura, 22, Chris, 19, and Jenny, 12.

Christine, 44, said his stroke forced him to retire but he learnt to play with just his left hand, and began charity work as a member of the Blackburn Rovers Disabled Supporters Association.

One of his last performances was in Asda, Blackburn, where he raised £600 for the group by playing 450 tunes in a marathon eight-hour session.

Eddie was diagnosed with heart problems five months ago and died in Blackpool Victoria Hospital last week.

He was buried in Pleasington cemetery, Blackburn, on Tuesday and his beloved Blackburn Rovers held a reception after the funeral at Ewood Park.

Christine said: "He was a lovely, lovely man and a brilliant musician. He had a very silly sense of humour but he was very serious when it came to his music.

"We knew he was ill but we were still not prepared for this at all. We are devastated."