A MEMORIAL service for Bobby Wanbon has now been arranged.

The former Warrington Wolves, St Helens and Aberavon forward died, aged 78, while on holiday with his wife Jean in Tenerife last month.

His funeral service took place on the Canary island later that week.

But a memorial service for Bobby has now been confirmed to take place at St Oswald's Church, Padgate Lane, Padgate, Warrington, on Wednesday, December 21, at 1pm.

The Port Talbot-born former Aberavon rugby union forward switched to rugby league and signed professional forms for Saints on 29 January 1968 for the princely sum of £4,500, the week after scoring a try on his debut for Wales rugby union team against England at Twickenham.

He scored 18 tries from 79 matches in the red vee.

Bobby was in the matchday squad for Saints' 1971 League Championship win over Wigan. But Alex Murphy then signed him for The Wire that same year.

The Welshman was a key figure in the Warrington pack which dominated the domestic campaign in 1973-74, featuring in the Captain Morgan Trophy Final win against Featherstone, the John Player success against Rochdale, the Challenge Cup Final triumph against Featherstone and the Club Championship Final glory day against St Helens.

Wanbon’s success with The Wire secured a spot in Wales’ first squad to figure in a Rugby League World Cup in 1975.

The father-of-one, a bricklayer by trade, made 163 appearances for The Wire before hanging up his boots in 1978 and then became well known for pub tenancy in Warrington, where he lived for more than 50 years.

From 1977 until 1999 he was behind the bar at various watering holes, starting at The Prince of Wales, moving on to the Old Ball, The Howley, the King and Queen before finishing at the Red Lion in Stockton Heath.