Tributes for Burnley man as a "legend with a heart of gold"

Liam Gorton, who had just started a job as a binman for Hyndburn Council in Accrington, died at his home in the Colne Road area of Burnley.

Still coming to terms with his death, his mum, Debra Gorton described him as a "loving son."

She said: "He didn't show love with hugs but in his actions and the things he did for other people to make them feel better.

"Liam was very sensitive and knew if someone was feeling down or having a bad day and he always tried to cheer them up."

A former pupil at Lord Street Primary School in Colne and the former Towneley High School in Burnley, Liam loved his new job as a binman.

His sister Natalie (19) said it gave him a new purpose in life.

She said: "It sounds daft but he had written a long list of goals he wanted to achieve in life. Some of them were small things but he had already started to tick them off.

"He could be stubborn and arrogant and always insisted he was right but was so loving and giving of his time. He was dippy and clumsy but would tell me daft jokes just when I needed them."

Liam studied upholstery at college and did a variety of different jobs before he became a binman. A former army cadet, Liam had a great interest in history, particularly wars, politics and current affairs.

Debra said: "We used to call him walking data as he had so much knowledge and a photographic memory.

"He could tell you facts about wars, history and also current affairs and he loved reading and writing but he was a joker who loved to make people laugh.

"He loved his job and there was so much he wanted to achieve in life that he will not have the chance to do now."

Liam doted on his nephew, one-year-old Harley William, and Natalie,who is expecting her second child in June, has said that if the new baby is a boy he will be named after her brother.

Liam's funeral will be held on Thursday at Burnley Crematorium at 3-30-pm with a gathering afterwards at Rosegrove Unity Club.

He also leaves his dad, Lee, grandad Barry and his friend Louis Jones, who is Natalie's partner.