Maryport butcher John Nicholson has died suddenly, aged 65. 

Tributes have been paid to Mr Nicholson by his family and leading traders and community figures in the town. 

Mr Nicholson ran his Senhouse Street butchers for nearly 30 years and was planning to retire this summer. 

A passionate fan of sports and especially rugby, he played as a back row wing forward in Netherhall RUFC's 1974 Cumberland Cup-winning side and later played for Maryport RLFC.

Mr Nicholson died overnight on Monday at his Maryport home.

His daughter Rachel said: "He was a well-known character who loved Maryport, outspoken whether it was right or wrong.

"He loved the life he lived. He let us live our lives but he was always there in the backdrop. There was nobody else like him.

"He'd do anything for his customers, bend over backwards for them really."

His wife Jean said: "He ran the business, which was his calling and something he'd always wanted to do. A lot of people knew him in the town.

"His family was very important to him - as long as his daughters were all right, he was all right.

"He was a perfectionist. He wasn't well but this was out of the blue."

Townspeople and traders described the larger-than-life butcher as a principled man who held the town in his heart.

Philip Cueto, owner of the Golden Lion Hotel and local newsagent, said: "I've known him all my life and he's come in here since the day we opened.

"Every day I've seen him for five years.

"We argued over a lot of things but we were still good friends.

"He was stubborn but he stuck to his principles and he thought a lot about Maryport, he had the town in his heart.

"John was a big employer of people over the years as a family business.

"He was a Maryport lad, born here and lived here all his life.

"I dropped him off yesterday teatime and he left me and said 'I'll see you tomorrow'.

"I never dreamed I'd come in today and hear he had died.

"He would give a bit of stick but he could take it. He'd sit on the other side of the bar and say things with a wink which other people took seriously.

"It's sad, he hasn't had any retirement at all after working hard all his life."

John Shimmings, chairman of Netherhall RUFC, said that although he hadn't been involved when Mr Nicholson was a player, he knew him to be someone who took no prisoners on the pitch and never took a step backwards.

He added: "You knew where you stood with him.

"He could be outspoken but he was a genuine guy who helped liven the town centre up a bit and was very popular."

Tom Taylor, manager of Ellis Bros DIY centre, on Senhouse Street, said he had been shocked to hear of his death and added: "I knew him fairly well as a member of Maryport Squash Club for a lot of years, although I didn't know him that well in recent years.

"He was a character, straight and honest and I think he was a popular man in town."

Jill Skinner, owner of The Lily Basket florist opposite Mr Nicholson's butchers, said: "I've been here about 15 years so we spoke quite a lot, he was a nice gentleman.

"We will miss him being there always, he will leave a real hole in the street.

"He was one of the older people that were still here and most of the traders would give eyes and teeth to be here the amount of time he was."