TRIBUTES have been paid to a man who used to deliver copies of the Bolton News in years gone by.

Jack Heaton died on June 19 and was a much-loved dad, grandad and great-grandad and was well-known to everyone in Westhoughton.

The 91-year-old loved his sports as he supported Bolton Wanderers and also played snooker in his younger days.

Daughter Julie Horrocks said: “He was a snooker champion and played for one of the local teams in Westhoughton.

“There were two Jack Heatons at the same club and he kept saying the other Jack was better than him.

“He told us that he once played against Ray Reardon but never said how he actually got on.

“He also used to race greyhounds and went all over the country with them and had a number of champions.

“He never drove and used to cycle everywhere.

“We remember he used to watch his pennies and he used to go around the supermarkets as he knew where to get a bargain.

“He even used to get up at 2am to do his baking as the electricity was cheaper on Economy Seven.

“He was not stingy and was very generous too as he would buy boxes of cereal and then give two of them away to people because they were a bargain.

“Everyone knew him in Westhoughton.”

Jack worked as a body builder for cars especially for Edbro, Metalbox and Eagle Specialists.

He also loved to visit the bookmakers too and the funeral cortege passed his local bookies.

Julie said: “He never drunk in years and years and when I was 10 we had a sweet shop and gave up smoking as he did not want to affect his profits.

“He used to get up at 4am in the morning to take copies of the Bolton News to his customers.”

Jack was also a family man.

Julie added: “His son Gary did a lot of shopping and cleaning for him as he needed a little bit of help and he loved him.

“Then he had grandchildren and he loved to see them and face lit up when he saw them.

“He had striking blue eyes and loved Bolton Wanderers.

“He was in the Burnden Disaster in 1946 and was in the crowd with his dad William when he was 16 .

“I used to get the portable radio out for him to listen to Bolton and how they got on.”

His funeral service and committal took place at Overdale Crematorium West Chapel on June 30 and family have asked for donations to be made to Bolton Hospice via the hospice website.

If you need any more information then you should contact Cowburn Funeral Service, Westhoughton, 01942 813105.