A BLACKBURN man who suffered from the same rare condition as Elephant Man Joseph Merrick has died aged 47.

Peter Bradley, who was known to his family and friends as Joker, died last week after years of battling neurofibromatosis.

The dad of two, of Brothers Street, Mill Hill, was only diagnosed with the condition when his first daughter was born at the age of 28.

But the mother of his children, Andrea Brighouse, 40, said that in recent years he was blighted with tumours in his face, cheeks, neck and spine.

The tumours in his spine caused him difficulty breathing and ultimately led to a decline in his health.

But Mrs Brighouse, who runs a facility for children with learning difficulties in Mill Hill, said that he also had a problem with alcohol and drugs, which she believed contributed to his death.

The former Witton Park High School pupil also spent time in prison, she said, mainly for drugs offences.

He died on August 29 at home and an inquest is set to take place to discover the cause of his death.

The former council groundsman leaves two children Lora, 22, and Jamie, 21.

Mrs Brighouse said: “He adored and idolised his children.

“Peter was unique, and although his life was short it was certainly well packed.

"Everything he did he did to extreme.

“He was known as Joker because he was quick with his mouth and hilariously funny.

"He was relentless at winding people up.

“His neurofibromatosis affected him both physically and mentally and over the past five years his health really started to deteriorate.

“The tumour on his spinal cord in particularly slowed him down and started to cut off his windpipe.”

Neurofibromatosis is a genetically-inherited disorder in which the nerve tissues grow tumours.

Just 18,000 people in the UK suffer from the condition.

Mr Bradley suffered from type one neurofibromatosis.

It is thought Joseph Merrick suffered from a combination of neurofibromatosis and Proteus syndrome.

Mr Bradley’s funeral takes place at Pleasington Crematorium on Friday at 11.30am.

A wake will follow at Pitchers bar in Blackburn town centre.