A FUN village tradition is set to be revived in memory of a father-of-two whose smile will live on in the hearts of all those who knew him.

Police officer Robin Dobie died on September 26 just 21 days after his 43rd birthday from the devastating illness motor neurone disease.

Now in his memory, his family and friends are hoping to bring back the fancy dress three-legged race in Edgworth, the village he grew up, and was a keen participant of the event.

Mr Dobie, the youngest of four siblings ­— Tim, Louise, Alistair ­— was diagnosed with the illness in 2012 much to the shock and disbelief of his family and friends.

His mother Marjorie said: "He was only 36 when he started with the illness, awful terrible cruel thing. He was diagnosed at Salford Royal and it came as a big shock to all as you can imagine.

"It is a horrible illness, it just takes away everything — everything that works almost stops working. Robin was a lad who was strong, into sport, ate well, lived in the country — you think how did it happen and at first I kept thinking it can't be right."

Mr Dobie, who lived in Bromley Cross, was told he had just between two and five-years to live.

"He never complained, he got on with life. He did a skydive in 2015 from 16,000ft — he chose to go for the big one to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease Association," said Mrs Dobie, "He had a lovely life in many ways before he got this illness. He was very happy, had a lovely son and daughter, nephews and nieces who he thought the world of.

"Even when he had the illness, he still used to keep in contact with everybody even to the day before he died. The cards they have sent say he was a wonderful person, an absolute one-off and the world is going to be a poorer place without him. Everybody is telling me how special he was. There were 600 people at the funeral, that is a tribute in itself.

"His carers were at the funeral, and they loved coming here, he would make them laugh ­— you would hear them laughing their heads off."

She added: "You were never miserable when you were with him."

Mr Dobie went to the now closed Hob Lane School and showed great sporting ability and going for trials with Bolton Wanderers. He continued to play sport as an adult, football in winter and cricket in the summer. As a schoolboy he made headlines in The Bolton News when he collected when he had his finger blown off after collecting what he thought were spent fireworks on Bonfire Night to stop the animals from eating them.

He joined the police force, based in Wigan, and in 2005 he received the Chief Constable's Citation of Merit for helping to save the life of woman involved in an horrific car accident while he was off duty.

After being diagnosed friends and family rallied round to create special experiences for him as well as helping him practically, including his colleagues in the police creating a special wet room for him to use.

Mr Dobie, whose father Arthur died in 2013, was given the honour of a police guard at his funeral at St Anne's Church, Turton, which was attended by not only his friends, but teachers and colleagues.

"They did a guard of honour all the way up the church path, it was very emotional," said Mrs Dobie

Now, in his memory, it is hoped to revive the popular village tradition of the three legged race, with proceeds going to Bolton Hospice, which he went into for a short time before he died.

Mrs Dobie said: “He would think the three-legged race was wonderful, it was always at Christmas time, they all used to go out in the freezing cold and one year Robin dressed up as a nurse ­— I put his make-up on him.

"We raised money for MND and now we want to give the money to the hospice because that is where he died and they were wonderful. The staff were second to none, incredible, he wasn’t in there for that long but they couldn’t do enough for you."

It is hoped the three-legged race,which hasn't been held in the village for more than a decade, will be held every year in September.