FORMER conservative councillor, Ian Forrest, has died aged 66.

He passed suddenly on Saturday, January 15 in Benidorm, Spain, where he has lived for several years. He is believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest.

Sir Bill Taylor, a former Labour leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council and election agent for Jack Straw, said: "Ian had quite a good career in the private sector, as well as his political work at the council.

"While he was of the opposition, he was one of life's good guys and his heart was in the right place.

"I met up with him in Benidorm some years back and he was the life and soul of the party. That was always the kind of man Ian was. It's terribly sad."

A crowdfunding page has been set up in his honour raising funds for Benidorm Dogs Home, a charity long admired by Mr Forrest.

His funeral was held in Spain on Wednesday.