A FATHER has turned 'irreplaceable' pictures from the past into vital funds for a charity.

Philip Coates, former site engineer manager at Rists Wires and Cables in Accrington, has raised more than £400 for East Lancashire Hospice by selling images from the factory’s history.

Mr Coates, who worked there for 26 years saved around 450 old photographs of people at the building after contacting someone who was about to throw the images out.

The Lonsdale Street site opened in the 1960s before closing in 2000 and employed more than 1,000 people across East Lancashire.

Mr Coates said: “I rescued the photos because I know that they’re irreplaceable.

“So many people are interested in them because of the nostalgia.

“Seeing them all brought a lump to my throat, it’s a piece of history.”

The 64-year-old received requests from people for copies of the images and then decided to put the collection of photos on a disk and sell them for £5 to raise money for East Lancashire Hospice.

Mr Coates's father-in-law Frank McIntyre and brother Donald Coates both received care there before their deaths.

The images include shots of various charity events at the company alongside pictures of the factory floor and wiring of cars.

Mr Coates said: “It was one of the biggest employers in the area.

“Many families have come to me saying they used to work there or their relatives did.

“That’s the reason it got such a good response, it played a big part in so many lives.”

He put the disk together himself and it includes the majority of the 450 photographs he saved with accompanying music.

Rists previously had factories in Nelson and Burnley and when they closed in the the 1980s many staff moved to Accrington.

The company, which later became known as Lucas Rists, used to do a lot for charity and it was one of the biggest employers in East Lancashire.

Mr Coates also used to work for North West Ambulance Service and helped transport patients to the hospice.

Anyone wanting a copy and to support the fundraising can call 07884 114342.