A CROWN green bowler who was once on the books of Blackburn Rovers has died aged 72.

Terry Connell, who was the bowls correspondent for the Lancashire Telegraph for more than 30 years, died at St James’ Hospital, Leeds, after a short battle with cancer.

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Mr Connell, who was from Blackburn but moved to Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, a decade ago, leaves his wife, Linda, children Paul and Catherine and grandchildren Britney, Tom, Bronte, Kate and Landon.

During the 1960s and 70s, Mr Connell won many crown green bowling competitions and was capped more than 50 times for Lancashire.

Terry also played football for Blackburn schoolboys and was on Blackburn Rovers’ books under manager Johnny Carey in the late 1950s. He also won medals for running.

As a teenager he won the Blackburn Town bowls handicap which prompted the area elite team to invite him to join their squad at the Alex Bowling Club, where Terry was a lead member for 45 years.

He studied at night school in mechanical engineering and worked for many years as a sales rep at Precision Engineering.

His daughter, Catherine Phelan, said: “He was a very gentle, kind and good man who loved sports.

“Both he and my mum enjoyed travelling and spending winter in Australia each year.”

Alan Simpson, deputy editor and former sports editor at the Lancashire Telegraph, said: “For a while Terry was Mr Bowls in East Lancashire. Apart from being an accomplished player himself he wrote informative and incisive pieces.”