THE family of a Nelson postie have paid tribute to their son's "tremendous gesture" after he made it his dying wish that all his wordly goods be sold to raise cash for a local hospice.

Stuart Parker, 30, died of cancer in August but before he passed away he made a will asking his family to raise as much as they could for Pendleside Hospice.

Staff at the hospice gave Stuart palliative care during the last weeks of his life. He had been diagnosed with a tumour in his neck when he was a boy and after an operation aged 20 the cancer went into remission.

However, it made a reappearance eight years later and following extensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy he went to Pendleside Hospice to die.

His family have raised £5,000 for the hospice by selling Stuart's car, furniture and items from his Tavistock Street home at Todmorden Market.

They will present a cheque for the amount to hospice staff on Monday.

Stuart's mum Jennifer, 53, of Wickworth Street, Nelson, said she had been bowled over by her son's request.

She said: Stuart decided he wanted to make a will and for his car and the things from his house to be sold for the hospice.

We are so proud of him. It was a tremendous and selfless gesture and typical of Stuart who was only concerned about other people.

Once he had got over the shock of what was happening to him his main concern was for others, for his family and to do his best for the community and the hospice, which was so good with him during his last days.

"I can't put into words how wonderful the staff at the hospice were. They dealt with the situation brilliantly."

Stuart is also survived by father Stan, 67 and sister Ruth, 25. Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle provides care to local people suffering from cancer and other life limiting illnesses.

The cost of providing care now exceeds £1.5million each year, of which more that £1.1million has to be raised locally from fundraising events and donations.