THE owner of a popular chip shop in Clayton-le-Moors for more than 30 years has died, aged 85.

Hannah Bickerstaffe, who owned the Barnes Square Chip Shop in Clayton-le-Moors, died in a residential home on March 1. Her son Stephen, 58, described the former charity worker as a bubbly and outgoing person.

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He said: “She was a family woman which is probably why she took over the chip shop. She was bubbly and outgoing, and a pain in the backside — all mothers are. She was reasonably active and liked to socialise.”

Born Hannah Elizabeth Snape in Blackburn in 1930, she was educated at St Hilda’s School. She worked at the Mullard factory, making valves for television sets. She married William James Orr and had two children, Stephen and Christine, but was diagnosed with a heart condition and medics in London warned her she would not see her 31st birthday.

In 1963 she bought the chip shop. She became well-known as Hannah Orr and moved into a house just around the corner in Barnes Street. Tragedy struck in 1988 when William died from a heart attack.

After she sold the chip shop in the 1990s, she began volunteering for Oxfam, and the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service at Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Stephen said: “After she shut the shop down, she wanted something to do. She started working at the WRVS because of how nice they were when my dad died. She wanted to give something back.”

It was also during this time she met her second husband, John Bickerstaffe. She was diagnosed with eye disease around 18 months ago and lost her sight. Mrs Bickerstaffe was forced to give up her charity work and move into Danesmoor Care Home, in Haslingden, close to her home with John.

Mrs Bickerstaffe’s funeral will be at All Saints Church, in Church Street, Clayton-le-Moors, on Thursday (11am).