TRIBUTES have been paid to a well-known retired landlord who touched the lives of everyone he met.

Peter Brandstatter, 69, of River Drive, Padiham, died suddenly on Friday night.

He had been taken to hospital after complaining of stomach pains.

Today his wife of 34 years, Kathy, said she was planning to scatter his ashes round a yew tree.

She explained: "Peter loved gardening. Every-where he went he loved to garden and landscaped our garden on his own.

"He died suddenly so it's come as a huge shock. We are waiting to find out the exact cause of his death.

"We want to make sure he is not forgotten."

Peter, who was born in Enns, Austria, moved to England in the 1950s and started his career working at the Midland Hotel, Manchester, as grill chef.

He longed to be closer to the countryside and a few years later moved to Burnley with his first wife, with whom he had two children, Ingrid and Dieter.

He moved to the Station Hotel, Nelson, in the early 1960s and shortly afterwards spent two years at the helm at the Empress Grill, Burnley.

From there he went to manage the Red Lion, Manchester Road, before taking on the tenancy at the Moorcock, Blacko, where he remained, with Kathy by his side, for 12 years.

After a two-year break, they moved to Todmorden and transformed a dilapidated building into The Berghof, a traditional Austrian restaurant.

Kathy added: "He was full of life and was a real character. He was an extremely hard worker.

"He worked in the kitchen but there came a time when we had to retire, even though he didn't really want to, because working in that industry is tough as we were often working 90- hour weeks.

"Once he had finished in the kitchen he would often come out and play Austrian music on the accordion.

"We loved our time in Todmorden as our customers weren't just customers they became friends. It was like having an extended family.

"We didn't have lots of money but it did give us the opportunity to travel and we went to Australia and South Africa which was wonderful.

"We were also thinking of buying a property in Spain and were filmed for the TV show A Place in the Sun which is due to be shown this year."

Peter also enjoyed writing stories about his life and now Kathy is hoping to get his memoirs published.

His son Dieter said: "He will be remembered by hundreds of people. He had a lot to say for himself but was also a very sensitive person and would give anyone a chance. He will be missed. Whenever I went to Burnley people would ask me if I was Peter's son because he was known by so many people."

Family from Austria will be travelling to Burnley for the funeral on Monday, July 31, at St John's Church, Hapton, at noon followed by a crematorium service.

A gathering for family and friends will then be held at Rosegrove Unit Club.