A LICENSEE who died of cancer is being given a final farewell -- from his own pub.

Friends and family of Kenny Ball will gather next Tuesday at the Rose 'n' Bowl, Newchurch Road, Stacksteads, the pub he ran for seven years.

His wife Marilyn said: "Having the service in the pub is what Kenny would have wanted. He would want to go from here.

Mr Ball, a licensee in Rossendale for 15 years, died in Burnley General Hospital on Tuesday aged 61.

He ran a haulage business for ten years before becoming licensee of the Royal Oak, Bacup, for eight years.

He became manager of the Rose 'n' Bowl, Stacksteads, seven years ago and also was a member of the Rose 'n' Bowl bowling team.

Mrs Ball said: "We had been on holiday in Spain ten weeks ago and he started being violently sick.

"When we got home they diagnosed stomach cancer and he was in hospital for six weeks.

"I got him home for 17 days but then he started being sick and had to go back into hospital. He died two weeks later."

In his younger days he was a keen footballer and played for Rossendale United and Bacup Borough teams. He also managed St Joseph's, Stacksteads and Rossendale United Reserve teams.

He leaves his wife Marilyn, three daughters and two sons, numerous grandchildren and two sisters.

The funeral service at the Rose 'n' Bowl will be conducted by Pastor Malcolm Buckley at 10.30am, followed by cremation at Burnley at noon.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be given to the Cancer Research Campaign care of Joan Lord at Knight and Boys Funeral Service, Stacksteads.