THE Westhoughton Cricket Club captain has paid tribute to former chairlady and trustee Maudine Morris who died aged 68 last Thursday.

Mrs Morris was a life member of the club and was chairlady for two years.

She died after suffering a heart attack, having recently recovered from a battle with cancer.

Club captain Rob Houghton, aged 29, knew Mrs Morris as a family friend from a young age and said that the "tragic" news came as a shock.

He said: "She was a lovely lady. She always had time to speak to you. She would speak to everybody.

"She will be sadly missed, but shall never be forgotten after playing such a significant part in not only the club's history, but also touching everyone's lives."

Mr Houghton, who has been a club member all his life, said that Mrs Morris made an effort to speak to the younger members of the club, not least to make sure that all the lads had paid for their tea.

The captain said that his first memories of Mrs Morris are of her with her husband Jim volunteering behind the bar and later as a tea lady.

The former chairlady remained involved with the club as a trustee until the end of her life and regularly attended to watch and support whichever side played at home.

Mrs Morris served as chairlady when the club moved from "The Tyldesleys" to its new ground at St George's Oval nine years ago.

Mr Houghton said: "She was chairlady at the biggest point in our club's history. She was an integral part of that move."

Mr Houghton, who has captained the club for seven seasons, said that it had long been Mrs Morris's ambition to become chairlady of the club.

Following in her uncle Bill Sanford's footstep, Mrs Morris took over the club some years after he was chairman himself.

Mr Houghton added: "Maudine was also a real member of the community with her work at local churches lay preaching and playing the organ."