TRIBUTES have been paid to a much-loved great-grandad and avid Blackburn Rovers fan, who has died.

Joe Bradshaw died peacefully in hospital with his family by his side on December 19th 2021.

The 85-year-old lived in Great.Harwood but was also formally of Clayton-le-Moors.

He was the devoted and dearly loved husband of Doreen, loved and precious dad of Beverley and Mark, cherished grandad to Gary, Rebecca, Honey and Harry, much loved great grandad to Landon, Sienna, Callum and Stella also a dear father-in-law to Tom and Gill.

Joe married Doreen in 1958 where they started life together on Victor Street, Clayton-le-Moors.

He loved dancing at the Ritz with Doreen and socialising at Green Howarth Golf Club with his sisters Renee and Gladys and their husbands Fred and Noel.

Throughout most of his life Joe worked as a HGV driver but also held other jobs which included a bus driver, window cleaner and oil tank driver.

Joe enjoyed numerous holidays with Doreen and their family particularly Pontins in his earlier years and in his later years America, Paris, Austria and Italy.

He support Rovers and also enjoyed nothing more than a pint and a game of Darts at the Come and Welcome club in Clayton-le-Moors.

In his retirement, Joe particularly loved gardening, going to Stonyhurst with Doreen to feed the ducks, having meals out with his family and spending time with his beloved cats Ollie, Suki and Lucky.

Joe was a devoted and loving husband, dad, grandad, great grandad, father-in-law and friend to many, he will be sorely missed by his family and all who had the pleasure of knowing and loving him.

Donations are being gratefully received in Joe’s memory to Haywill Lancashire Cats Rescue and the Alzheimers society by contacting the funeral directors.

For more information check out the obituaries section on the Champs Funeral Directors site.