TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Mayor of Bolton who died after suffering a heart attack.

Father-of-three John Monaghan, aged 72, died on Friday afternoon as he walked home from the scene of a road accident in Blackrod, having gone to see if he could help.

A well-known and respected figure across Bolton, Mr Monaghan served as a Labour borough councillor for 22 years until retiring in 2002. He was made an honorary alderman that year.

He also sat on Blackrod Town Council for two decades, was town mayor twice and had lived in the town for 30 years.

His wife, Beryl, aged 66, said he had rushed to A6 after hearing a lorry had crashed with a car and gone into a fence, leaving two men injured, at 1.15pm on Friday.

She said: "He went to see if there was anything he could do, it was the type of thing he would do.

"He would do anything for anyone."

Mr Monaghan, of The Cheethams, Blackrod, had celebrated his birthday last Wednesday.

Cllr Pat Barrow, who won the Horwich and Blackrod ward for the Conservatives last week, said: "It's very sad news and we are shocked and upset.

"He was always very helpful and if anybody needed anything John was there."

Mr Monaghan is survived by his wife, children, Susan, Janette and Iain and five grandchildren.