A former Bradford pub licensee, who believed he had beaten cancer, has died shortly after learning the disease had returned.

John Collins, 62, who ran The Thornbury pub in Leeds Road 15 years ago and had lived in Clayton , died a week after the death of his 87-year-old mother Betty Collins.

Their family in Somerset, where they had been living, will return to Bradford on Friday to have their ashes buried together at Scholemoor Crematorium alongside Ernest Collins, the father of Mr Collins and husband of his mother.

Mrs Collins had lived in Thirkleby Royd, Clayton, raising her family then moved in her later years to Bradford Road before re-locating to Somerset to be nearer family.

Mr Collins, who had also worked at Field Printers in Clayton, will be remembered by footballers and cricketers in the area had left Bradford and The Thornbury to run a club in Benidorm.

When he returned to the UK he set up home in the south west where he leaves a wife, two children and four grandchildren with a fifth on the way.

He was diagnosed with throat cancer five years ago but had got the all clear until June when tests after a series of chest infections revealed the cancer had returned with a vengeance and spread.

His sister Margaret Clancy, who married a Bradford Park Avenue player and also lives in Yeovil, said: “It’s been a terrible time for us losing two loved ones so close together.

“I don’t think it was a case of John giving up on his illness because of mum because he’d only just found out the cancer had come back. I think it was all just a tragic coincidence they died so soon after each other.

“We’re bringing them home so they can be back with dad.”

Friends are invited to join family, including relatives still living in the district and in Halifax, at the burial at 12.30pm on Friday with donations going to the Alzheimer’s Society and Cancer Research.