A NAN of a kind-hearted Tyldesley man who died from cancer at the age of 21 last year has been inspired to use her knitting and card-making skills to help people in need of help.

Barbara Aspden is on a mission to help a charity that her grandson Jordan McCole volunteered for, Climbing Out, by making birthday cards which she sells to Betty Blu on Elliott Street to help fund a cross-Atlantic sailing challenge led by Kelda Wood.

The 76-year-old has also knitted more than 90 hats before Christmas which were sent to Syria and Africa as well as 20 more she has just dropped off at the Homeless Support Project on Railway Road.

Barbara said: "It all started with Jordan who suggested I should make the hats as there are plenty of people who would appreciate them especially around the cold times of the year.

"Since then, I have developed a daily routine where I make birthday cards during the day and then knit at night while I am watching a film.

"It keeps me busy and gives me great satisfaction to know the work is helping others which is what Jordan always wanted to do."

Barbara, who has knitted since the age of 10, regularly donates her hats to the Salvation Army's district branch and the group recently informed her they have managed to raise enough funds to install a defibrillator in the community.

Her fundraising efforts follow the work her grandson carried out in his life.

He worked as an ambassador for the Climbing Out charity where he won an Inspirational Award.

Jordan also sailed with the Ellen MacAuthor Foundation and worked for the Bolton Mountain Rescue Team when he was in remission from cancer.

His dream was to become a Royal Navy aircraft engineer.

There were more than 300 people who attended his funeral at Howe Bridge Crematorium last February when he was cremated in a 7ft tailor made yellow lego block coffin — a fitting tribute to one of his favourite pleasures in life.

She added: "Jordan was such an amazing young man and left a wonderful legacy with the amount of charity work he did so we want to keep this going.

"He was a one-off special and is inspiring me to keep making cards and knitting as well as Kelda and her Climbing Out team to do the Atlantic challenge which she will dedicate the first day of it to Jordan."

In October, a group of 63 people, including Barbara's sister Julie Dutson, also climbed Mount Snowdon to raise more than £7,000 for Climbing Out.