A POPULAR charity champion who raised thousands for worthy causes has died.

Les Marsh, who ran The Sloop Inn for more than 20 years, collected £40,000 for different charities during his time behind the bar.

His hard work and generosity even earned him royal recognition when he was awarded the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal and Certificate for all his charity work.

Kind-hearted Les, aged 67, persuaded top stars such as impressionist Mike Yarwood and former footballer Emlyn Hughes, to help him pull in the pounds for St Rocco's Hospice and a muscular dystrophy charity.

And only days before he died at Warrington Hospital after battling against pneumonia and a stroke, he was still planning more money-raising events to help sufferers of muscular dystrophy.

His widow, Doreen, said: "He was an amazing man who always thought of others rather than himself.

"Les always said that without all the help of the pub's customers he would never have been able to raise all the money but someone still had to organise everything.

"It's only after I received all the cards and telephone calls that I have realised just how well thought of Les was.

"People have been in tears on the other end of the telephone, saying how much they thought of Les.

"He was a devoted family man and someone who cared passionately for the community and everyone around him."

The couple left the Sankey Bridges pub five years ago to run a corner shop in Wellington Street where Les still kept collection boxes and held raffles to raise money.

His 33-year-old daughter, Andrea, is a professional singer and will star in a show later this year to raise more money for muscular dystrophy sufferers.

She said: "Even though dad was really ill in hospital he was still arranging for me to appear in a show to raise cash for charity.

"That's just the kind of man he was. He never thought of himself, only of other people."

Mr Marsh's funeral took place yesterday, Thursday, the day after the couple would have celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary.

Mourners packed out Warrington parish church to pay tribute to Mr Marsh who leaves his widow and two daughters.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.