HUNDREDS of people are expected to attend the funeral of a well known priest who died aged 72.

Father Brendan Quilter is known to thousands of Catholic churchgoers in Bolton after spending more than 30 years at St Osmund's Church in Breightmet and Our Lady of Lourdes and St Gregory's in Farnworth.

He died in hospital on Wednesday after developing pneumonia following a fall which left him with a broken hip.

Two services are planned in Bolton this week - each expected to be attended by more than 500 people - before his body is flown back to his native Ireland for burial.

Father Ged Murphy, who had worked with Father Quilter for 10 years, said: "Everyone is upset at all the churches and in the communities where Father Quilter had worked.

"He was Bolton's longest serving clergyman and very well liked and respected because he lived for the people of his ministry."

Father Quilter arrived at St Osmund's Church in 1972 and was joined in 1997 by Father Murphy, who took over the full-time running of the church. They both moved to Farnworth the following year and took over at St Gregory's and Our Lady of Lourdes churches.

Father Murphy, aged 41, said that, although Father Quilter had become semi-retired, he was keen to play a part in the day-to-day running of the church.

Outside his job, he had a passion for football and spoke at the funeral of Sir Matt Busby in 1994 after becoming a close family friend of the Manchester United legend.

Father Murphy added: "We're expecting at least 500 people and maybe more to each of the services before his body is taken to Tralee in County Kerry."

A requiem mass will take place tomorrow evening at 7.30pm at St Osmond's Church before a second mass at 12pm on Wednesday at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Farnworth.

A final service and burial will take place in Ireland on Friday.