THE self-made men of East Lancashire have seen their fortunes rocket, according to the latest list of the country's richest.

Conservatory roofing firm founder John Lancaster, holiday tycoon David Crossland and the Walker family increased their wealth by tens of millions of pounds over the past year.

And the latest Sunday Times Rich List confirms East Lancashire as the breeding ground for more of the UK's wealthiest people than anywhere in the North West.

Blackburn Rovers' "Uncle Jack" Walker and brother Fred led the way with their estimated fortune of £600 million - up £50 million on last year - putting them at 27th richest in the UK.

David Whelan, who got his first taste of business running a corner shop in Blackburn, was one of the biggest risers up the league table.

The former Rovers star moved up to 56th as his fortune swelled from £150 million to £350 million on the back of the rising stock market value of his JJB sports shop empire.

David Crossland, the former Burnley schoolboy who began his career in the travel industry as a teaboy, added another £65 million to his family fortunes from the Airtours group of £225 million and saw his position rise ten places to 76th.

Edenfield developer John Whittaker, the man behind the Peel Holdings property development group, jumped 33 places on increased wealth of £275 million. The flotation of Clitheroe-based Ultraframe and the doubling of its share price in recent months helped founder John Lancaster's meteoric rise of 261 places up the table. His estimated wealth of £103 million - much of it still invested in his company - puts him at 200th in the table.

The Clarke family behind the Barnoldswick-based Silentnight bed giant dropped 61 places but won't have any sleepless nights over money with a comfortable £70 million still tucked away.

Shami Ahmed, who last week revealed he turned down an invitation to make a bid for his home town football club Burnley FC, also slipped down the table to 357th despite his wealth increasing by £5 million to £60 million.

The brothers behind the Granville Technology Group computer empire at Simonstone, Tahir Mohsan and Tariq Mohammed, fell 68 places although their fortune held steady at £50 million.

Tahir, 26, a director of ELTEC as well as managing director of his firm, was the fifth youngest person to make it into this year's list.

The Yerburgh family, who own a major stake in Blackburn brewers Thwaites, fell 143 places to 503 on estimated wealth of £46 million, down £4 million.

Dr Brian Mercer, who invented Netlon, fell to 562nd place with his £40 million fortune made from his Blackburn plastics business.

Ribble Valley businessman Tony Cann dropped to 862nd place on his estimated fortune of £22 million.

Colin Mustoe, who heads fast growing office furniture manufacturer Senator International, based at Altham, made it into the list for the first time. His stake in the company is estimated to be worth around £20 million.

And Blackburn's £17 million lottery winner - whose identitity this newspaper has never revealed - is still in according to the league table. His win has grown to an estimated £20 million since he left Blackburn for a new life under a new identity down south.

Other Lancashire people to make it into this year's top 1,000 include Trevor Hemmings, the former bricklayer who owns a major stake in Scottish and Newcastle, (£315 million), disgraced tycoon Owen Oyston (£40 million) and Norman Stoller of Seton Healthcare, owners of Blackburn-based Cupal (£25 million), John Hargreaves whose family founded the Matalan chain of fashion shops in Preston (£130 million) and John Cotton, who sold the John Cotton car interiors factory at Colne for 33 million dollars, with a fortune of £30 million.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.