A 28-YEAR-old man died after collapsing in the street while out walking his dog.

Yesterday Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondalgh described keen amateur dramatic enthusiast Andrew Lord as “absolutely wonderful” and “a real love”.

And colleagues at Blackburn’s Gilbert and Sullivan Society said he was a ‘lovely lad’ who would be really miss.

Andrew, who had a history of heart problems, was found by passers by in Highfield Street, Clitheroe and died later that day at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

His devastated brother, Richard, said Andrew’s personality could light up a room.

He said: “Andrew had such a bright personality. He touched everyone that knew him. He had such a big laugh.

“He is going to be missed by everyone, particularly my wife and I."

Andrew’s death marked a double tragedy, as the pair’s mother, Karina, died last year from cancer. They lost their dad, Harry, about 10 years ago.

Richard’s wife, Laura, 35, is expecting the couple’s first child later this year.

He said: “Andrew was really close to my wife and I.

“She is pregnant and Andrew had made all sorts of plans for when the baby was born.

“I am so sad they won’t get to meet their Uncle Andrew.

“He was the role model anybody would want, the perfect man.”

Andrew was born in Blackburn, but after being diagnosed with a hole in his heart and was rushed to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.

He had open heart surgery when he was a year old.

Richard said: “What they did obviously worked, as it kept him alive for 28 years.

“They said he wouldn’t make it and he proved them wrong.

“He did that a lot in his life. They said he wouldn’t make 10, then 15, then 20.

“He had 28 years more than he was expected to.”

Richard, from Poulton-Le-Fylde, said Andrew seemed to know everybody.

He said: “It always amused me that whenever you went anywhere with him he would stop and chat to two or three people.

“Everywhere you went he knew someone.

“He would always manage to cheer me up. He would pull a goofy grin or tell a stupid joke.”

Andrew lived all of his life at Gills Croft, Clitheroe.

He went to Westholme School in Blackburn, and then Oakhill College, Whalley, but he struggled with learning difficulties.

After he transferred to Blackamoor Special School, Blackburn, which closed in 2000, where he thrived.

In his final year at Blackamoor, he was head boy.

After school, he did a variety of NVQs and other courses at Myerscough College, including agriculture, horticulture and animal care.

He also did several courses to help him develop extra life skills, such as improving maths, reading and writing, in Burnley.

Andrew was also heavily involved in amateur dramatics in Blackburn, Accrington and Oswaldtwistle.

He was a former member of Buddies, the youth organisation of Accrington Theatre Group, and was also involved in Blackburn Musical Theatre Group, Clitheroe Operatic and Dramatic Society and the Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

Ms Hesmondalgh, who plays Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, is a patron of Accrington Theatre Group.

She said: “I had known Andrew for many years. He was absolutely wonderful. A real love.

“I remember a few years ago there was a charity auction at the Dunkenhalgh for Maundy Relief and Andrew was there performing with Buddies.

“I think Andrew bought about 90 per cent of the stuff, he almost bankrupted his mum.

“I saw him recently in a production of Our House, so I got to give him one last hug. He will be missed.”

Anne Rigby, a secretary of Blackburn’s Gilbert and Sullivan Society, said: “He was a lovely lad. He loved it here and we will miss him.

“The members were upset and shocked and some of them were in tears.

“It was our first rehearsal of the New Year and we were greeted with the sad news.”

An inquest opened into Andrew’s death heard he collapsed on January 3.

His funeral takes place at Skipton Crematorium on Tuesday, January 17, from 10.20am.

Richard has asked for donations to be made to the Alder Hey Imagine Appeal, instead of flowers.

He said: “Without them we wouldn’t have had the 28 years that Andrew was able to make the most of.”