A LANDLORD was found hanging in his Blackburn town centre pub after worried friends forced their way in.

Blackburn Police said Dave Stewart was found in the living quarters of the Star and Garter pub in Railway Road at around lunchtime yesterday.

Mr Stewart, 54, moved into the pub two years ago having previously run pubs in Birmingham.

He had come to Blackburn to be with his girlfriend Sharon who lived in the town.

Police said Mr Stewart, who also had an estranged wife, had been depressed recently and had spoken of committing suicide.

He had big plans for the pub when he took over including band nights, comedians on Sunday lunchtimes, discos and sing-alongs.

The coroner has been informed and police are not treating the death as suspicious.

Mr Stewart's friends and family were too distressed to talk about the incident.

Geoff Sutcliffe, chairman of the Licensed Victuallers' Association, said he was saddened to hear of the news.

Speaking on behalf of the association, he said: "It is very sad. He had not been in the pub that long and our sympathies are with his family."