A MUCH loved former mayor and Blackrod community champion has been remembered with a memorial bench.

A seat dedicated to Blackrod’s longest serving town councillor Patricia Barrow has been erected outside Blackrod Library.

Mrs Barrow, known to many as Pat, served as Blackrod’s mayor four times, represented the Horwich and Blackrod ward in the borough council for four years and was a town councillor for almost 32 years.

She lived in Blackrod for 52 years and, according to daughter Alison Precious, always said that she wanted to live at the top of the village when she grew old.

Mrs Precious said: “Now she’s got a bench dedicated to her at the top of the village. It’s quite poignant.”

She added that the former mayor’s family, who all gathered for the official unveiling of the bench on Friday, are “really happy and delighted” that Mrs Barrow will be permanently remembered in the village.

“It just shows that they appreciated all the hard work and all the hours she put in,” said Mrs Precious.

Mrs Barrow, aged 80, lost her battle with the respiratory disease, pulmonary fibrosis, in April last year, leaving behind her husband, four children and ten grandchildren.

“She still, until the end, kept smiling and talking,” said Mrs Precious, who described her mother as a “friendly, happy person” who was community-spirited.

The former councillor devoted much of her time to charitable work, including raising more than one million pounds for Derian House Children’s Hospice, sat on the Blackrod welfare committee and was chairman of the Blackrod Carnival.

“From the time she moved to the village, mum was always involved in community things,” said Mrs Precious.

Her husband Raymond, aged 80, who also served as a town councillor, still lives in Blackrod and was at the official bench unveiling with grandchildren and children Elizabeth, Alison and Christopher, as well as Paul, who travelled from his home in America. Also present were current town mayor and mayoress Cllr Scott and Mrs Karen Batchelor and long-serving town councillor Graham Farrington.

Cllr Batchelor he was delighted to be able to be present at the dedication as Pat had been of tremendous support to him when he first became a town councillor. Cllr Graham Farrington, who was instrumental in planning the seating and surrounding landscaping said that Pat was irreplaceable and she would be forever known for the support she gave to many residents through her council and charitable works.

Mrs Precious hopes to continue her mother’s charitable legacy by fundraising for The British Lung Society

In September she and her daughters they will walk around London on the 25km Thames Bridges Trek which passes each of the 16 bridges.

The team has set up a Just Giving page online under the name “The Trifle Team” in memory of Mrs Barrow, whose favourite dessert was trifle.