REGULARS at a Knutsford pub this week reacted with shock to the mystery death of their former landlady.

Elayne Bradley, who had served at The Legh Arms for over two years, died in her sleep last week. She was 51.

"We have travelled around together in the pub game for 21 years," said Elayne's husband John yesterday (Tuesday).

"She was accepted wherever we went because she had no edge and was a very fair person."

The night before her death Elayne had played dominoes with regulars at her Stoke-on-Trent pub.

Next morning Mr Bradley found his wife's body in bed.

"We had a routine where I slipped out of bed to start work and then came back to wake Elayne up," he said.

"But I knew as soon as I saw her there was something wrong."

Mike Leggett, the new landlord of the Legh Arms, said regulars were shocked.

"She had become very popular with the customers even though she was more behind the scenes than her husband," he said.

Mr Bradley said his wife had enjoyed her stint in Knutsford.

"We were both very sad to leave Knutsford because we had made some brilliant friends," he said.

Her funeral will be held tomorrow (Thursday) at Siddington Church near Alderley Edge. The service starts at 11.30am.

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