RESPECTS will be paid to a well-loved Blackpool doctor, who died earlier this year and was affectionately known as a 'gentle giant' by colleagues, at a special service of thanksgiving.

The service will be held at Blackpool Victoria Hospital to celebrate the life of Dr William George Annan in the lecture theatre of the Health Professional's Education Centre at 5pm on June 4.

Dr Annan was one of the first consultants in geriatric medicine to be appointed at the hospital and was instrumental in the development of care for the elderly across the Fylde.

He was also heavily involved in the creation of the elderly units at Clifton and South Shore Hospitals.

The dedicated family man was born in Ghana in 1931 and moved to the UK in 1962 to study a diploma in tropical medicine at Liverpool.

He was appointed as a senior house officer in general medicine at Blackpool Victoria in 1966 before being appointed as a registrar. He went on to do his specialist registrar training at Manchester before returning to the Victoria as a consultant in geriatric medicine.

Dr Annan, who has three daughters, Franchesca, Rebecca and Georgina, retired in 1996 and moved back to his native country, Ghana, where he died unexpectedly on March 31 aged 70.

One of his closest friends, Dr Baloch, a consultant physician who retired from Victoria Hospital in 1999, told The Citizen: "He was very polite, was always smiling and was very sympathetic. They used to call him the 'gentle giant'.

"He loved his job and got on great with all of his colleagues. He was well respected by all staff from his junior doctors to fellow consultants.

"He played a leading role in the development of geriatric medicine. He made a real difference and will always be remembered."

Anyone who knew Dr Annan is welcome to the service.