TRIBUTES have been paid to former Blackburn pub landlady Freda Brown, who died on Sunday.

Mrs Brown, a well-known figure behind the bar at the Star and Garter, Blackburn, for 18 years, was 65.

She was born in Middleton, Manchester, and ran a number of pubs with her husband, Stanley, before they moved to Blackburn.

Stanley held the licence but when he died, it was transferred to Mrs Brown - unusual at a time when there were few female licensees.

She raised thousands of pounds for good causes, including the pain relief clinic at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

Mrs Brown retired four years ago and was living in the Grimshaw Park area of Blackburn when she died. She leaves four sons and 10 grandchildren.

Ken Pilling, who ran the Star and Garter for some months, said: "She was a wonderful character, very charismatic, and she did an awful lot of work for charity. She is a great loss to the town."

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