PRESTON football legend Sir Tom Finney has expressed his sadness at the death of one of his oldest friends.

Retired car salesman Maurice Phipps, who helped raise thousands of pounds for local charities, died while on holiday with friends in Benidorm, on Thursday, May 31.

Maurice, of Grange Avenue, Ribbleton, was a keen fund-raiser and worked closely with Sir Tom to raise money for children's charities including Space, on the site of the former Willows Hospital, in Pedders Lane, Preston.

He even featured in The Citizen a couple of weeks ago on May 17 after raising £175 for three needy causes in the town including money for the new PNE Disabled Association.

Sir Tom said: "I was very shocked to hear the news. I knew he had gone on holiday, and the next thing I got this message to say he had died and they thought it had been a heart attack.

"I had known him for 20 years, through the charity work. He contacted me through PNE and we became friends." Maurice, 66, was a pupil at St Luke's in Ribbleton, before joining the Royal Fusiliers where he was a sergeant. After leaving the army Maurice joined the motor industry with his brother Jim. But after a car accident 32-years ago, which almost cost him his life, Maurice dedicated his life to charity work.

He had gone on holiday to the Spanish resort with his fiance Doreen, 63, and friends from Greenlands Labour Club, in Chapburn Road, Preston.

After complaining of feeling unwell he collapsed and was found by friends who tried to bring him round.

Doreen cradled his head in her lap. She said: "I got down on my knees and said 'don't you die on me Maurice Phipps'. But he did.

"I would like people to remember him as a great guy who loved doing his charity work. He enjoyed helping people less fortunate than himself and he would have given the shirt off his back to help folk in need."

His funeral takes place at Preston Crematorium today (Thursday) at 2pm and afterwards at Greenlands Labour Club, in Ribbleton.