TRIBUTES have been paid to a Sicilian-born tailor who was responsible for turning out some of East Lancashire’s best-dressed people.

Giuseppe Alessi made suits to measure for sports stars and the stylish for almost 40 years, with his own shop in Derby Street, Accrington, from 1967 to 2004.

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His most famous creation was worn by East Lancashire’s snooker great Dennis Taylor when he won the sports World Championship Final against Steve Davis on the famous final black ball in April 1985.

Mr Alessi, who lived in Whalley Road, Accrington, leaves a wife Angela,73, sons Joe, 51, and Macro, 47, daughter Adriana, 40 who and three grandchildren.

He died on Thursday aged 82 after a short illness.

He learned the art of bespoke tailoring for five years in his native Racalmuto in Sicily before moving to Accrington on the advice of a friend in 1961, working for Joe Novak before setting up his own business near the former E J Riley’s snooker table factory.

He met Angela in Sicily and married her when she followed him over to Accrington.

Joe, an actor currently appearing in Arthur Miller’s The Hook at Liverpool’s Everyman Theatre, said: “He was a very fine tailor and a great character.

“People came from all over Lancashire and the North West to his shop.

“There were Rolls Royces and Bentley’s parked in the neighbouring streets by his customers.

“It was more than a job to him, it was a calling.

“He made Savile Row-style suits with a Sicilian twist.”

Marco, who works as an administration manager in Helmshore, said: “He will be much missed. Everybody knew him.

“He loved life in Accrington, especially the pies and the fish and chips.”

Joe and Marco said they had many fond memories of their father, including working in his shop on a Saturday morning and coming home to smell the fish and chips he had put on the radiator to keep warm for their supper.

As well as Mr Taylor, the Mr Alessi made suits for fellow snooker star Alex Higgins, actress Julie Hesmondhalgh and former Blackburn Rovers player David Dunn.

Mr Taylor said: “I had several suits made for me by Guiseppe.

“Sometimes I went to his shop and sometimes he came to my home.

“He was a great tailor and a great, very warm character. He will be much missed by his family and in Accrington.

“My condolences go to his family.”

Mr Alessi will be taken home to Racalmuto for his funeral, and a memorial service will be held on Thursday, August 20 at 9.30am at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Accrington.

The climax of the 1985 nooker final in the early hours of a Monday morning was watched by 18.5 million people in the United Kingdom.