‘One in a million’ pub landlord remembered after battling brain tumour

Ian Walsh, 54, who died last week, was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in April and married his partner, Glenda, at Royal Blackburn Hospital as he fought the illness.

They used to run The Roebuck Inn, the pub in which they met shortly after Ian moved to the town a decade ago having spent 30 years as a firefighter in Liverpool.

She said: “If there was football on he would go with the team, if there was entertainment on he would go on the stage, he just loved being involved.

“I was working at the Roebuck when we first met, he walked in and did the karaoke. He was a real cheeky chappy, he had a great sense of humour and he was full of one-liners.”

After being told he had weeks to live Mr and Mrs Walsh, 48, decided to bring their wedding forward, eventually tying the knot in a side room at Royal Blackburn Hospital on Wednesday, April 29.

“It was a very special day,” she said. “The wedding was already arranged but we spoke to the hospital chaplain and decided to do it there.

“I have some very special memories from that day now, I’m just so grateful we managed to have some time together as man and wife.”

Mourners have been asked to gather at the Roebuck, in High Street, at 11.30am on Friday for a minutes silence before the funeral cortege travels to Accrington Crematorium for a service at 12.20pm.

Mrs Walsh said: “We have had so many messages already, he was incredibly popular. To move to a new town and make so many friends shows what he was like as a person.

“He had a heart as big as the world, he would do anything for anybody, it didn’t matter what the problem was he would try and help.

“He was one in a million, there will never be another one like Ian.”

Family flowers only have been requested, but donations are being welcomed to East Lancashire Hospice.

Mr Walsh’s family has also asked mourners to avoid wearing black and also to take red balloons for release after the service.