A WAR hero who went on to found a well-known East Lancashire estate agency has died in the south of France aged 78.

Thomas Shaw, who retired to Nice on the French Riviera 12 years ago, was decorated for bravery as a flight navigator in 1944.

He was already a veteran of several bombing missions over Germany when his Lancaster aircraft crashed in flames.

He escaped uninjured, but went back into the burning aircraft twice to rescue two other members of the crew -- even though he knew the plane could have exploded at any time.

Mr Shaw was awarded the British Empire Medal for his heroism, which was described in the national press and has featured in several books about the history of the RAF.

In 1949, he founded Thomas Shaw's estate agency in Blackburn and built it up into a successful business before retiring to Nice in 1990.

The estate agency, now also a chartered surveyors and property management consultants, is run by his son-in-law David Briffett and his daughter Lynn.

It has branches in Blackburn and Clitheroe.

Mr Shaw, who grew up in Ribchester, lived in Wilpshire for more than 30 years. He revisited Blackburn in 1999 to celebrate his business's 50th anniversary.

The retired estate agency boss, who died after a short illness, leaves daughters Lynn and Jackie.

His body will be flown back to East Lancashire for the funeral, details of which have still to be arranged.