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Tributes after sudden death of Busker Pete
Pete the busker's floral tributes in Chorley town centre.
TRIBUTES have poured in for a popular Chorley town centre busker who died just minutes after performing in his favourite spot.
Pete Haseldon, 54, was well known among traders and shoppers for singing with his guitar outside Claire’s Accessories on Chapel Street.
He collapsed suddenly nearby at 4.30pm on Saturday and died later in hospital.
It is now yet known what caused his death.
Mr Haseldon, known affectionately to shoppers as “Busker Pete”, lived in Euxton and leaves wife Rachel and sons Joe, 16, and Dan, 12.
His sister-in-law, Sharon Sutcliffe, said: “He was a happy-go-lucky kind of guy.
“He loved his music and loved entertaining. He had been doing it most of his life. The family usually spend Christmas together and it was amazing how strong they were on the day.
“They decided they didn’t want anyone to feel sad and if they did, they would just give them a hug. We all had a toast to him on Christmas Day.”
On Facebook, Mr Haseldon has been described as “one of Chorley’s finest.” One person wrote: “The silence on Chapel Street in deafening.”
Floral tributes and candles have piled up on the spot where he spent many years singing his favourite songs, including REM’s Losing My Religion.
Ted Turner, owner of the live music venue the Railway pub, Steeley Lane, Chorley, said: “We’re good friends of his and he played music here. Everybody in the pub knew him. A lot of his friends come here. He popped up now and again. He was a well-known and well-liked person.”
Other people in Chorley who knew him said they were shocked and devastated.
Chris Tootell, 51, said: “I used to work with him years ago. I used to pick him up and go to Blackpool and Fylde, all that area, selling gas and electricity.
“He was a colourful character, an absolutely cracking bloke.
“We were due to have a drink with him on Saturday.”
Another said: “There’s a lot of people really upset and devastated about it. He was in lots of bands over the years. A lot of people knew him.”
Chris Murray, 44, known as “Minty”, said: “A Lot of people knew him really really close from the olden days when he used to play live in the Queens at the top of Chapel Street.
“He holds a lot of love in people’s hearts.”
A spokesman for the North West Ambulance Service said they received an emergency call that a male had collapsed outside Nobles amusement arcade, Chapel Street. He was taken to Chorley Hospital.
Mr Haseldon’s funeral is at the United Reformed Church this Friday, January 4, at 2pm, followed by cremation at Charnock Richard at 3pm.
A celebration of his life will be held at St Mary’s Club, Devonshire Road, Chorley, afterwards.
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Weather for Chorley
Saturday 18 May 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 6 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
