DRINKERS at a Blackburn pub have toasted a former regular by drinking a pint named in his honour.

Albert Edward Smith, known as Eddie or Bazza, died in April aged 70.

In his memory, Carole Davies, landlady of the Clifton Arms pub in Grimshaw Park, ordered a barrel of special beer.

‘Eddie Smith’s Bazzer Bitter’ was launched on Father’s Day, with the first pint being pulled by his daughter Hayley.

It was recognition of the job former ‘dad of the year’ Mr Smith had done in bringing up his daughter single-handedly.

Hayley, 31, said she was honoured that her dad was being remembered in such a way. She said: “I was so chuffed. Father’s Day could have been a bit sad but this was brilliant.

“Carole has been great. We had the wake at the pub and she closed it for us. It was a reallly good thing she did in getting the beer on.

“I hadn’t realised how popular he was until he passed away.”

Mr Smith, of Honey Hole, was originally from Salford but had moved to Blackburn more than four decades ago. He left behind grandchildren Jayda, seven, Miley, five, and Jason Jnr, one.

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Hayley, who lives with her fiance Jason in Bute Road, Shadsworth, said: “He was a really popular guy and you would not have thought he was 70.

“He was really positive all the time.”

In the early 1990s, Mr Smith won a ‘father of the year’ competition sponsored by beer firm Newcastle Brown Ale.

Hayley said: “I nominated him because he brought me up on his own from being a baby. We were always close and he really deserved it.

“He was happy because he won lots of beer!”

Landlady Carole said: “We got a beer in and we were able to name it after who we wanted.

“We decided to call it Eddie Smith Bazzer Bitter because everybody loved him."

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