A MAN rumoured to bake the best bread in Britain has died of a heart attack.

Les Goostrey, who was 76, will be laid to rest tomorrow (Thursday).

Yesterday his widow Joan spoke to the Knutsford Guardian about the man she knew and loved - a man who would bake loaves through the night to get the taste just right.

"It was painstaking," she said. "His bread would look perfect to me, but he could still find something wrong with it.

"He always found bread very temperamental."

But it was that patience and attention to detail that saw Les justly crowned Hovis Champion three years ago, making his bread the tastiest in Britain.

After the success he renamed his home in Mobberley Hovis House, but it was only the latest in a long line of honours.

Before competitions, Les would practise his skills at home for a full weekend before he felt he was ready.

To develop the shop he tested out new ingredients and recipes.

It must have worked, though, because customers still queue out of the door today.

"Every so often we'd try something different like a tomato bread," said Joan. "If it caught on it would go in the repertoire and if it didn't we would let it fade out."

Les, who was the son of a baker, was born in Mobberley. By the time he was eight he was delivering goods to villagers.

Mourners

His grandfather, though, had started the business in 1882 and they went on to run a shop in King Street, Knutsford, which has now been sold.

Eight years ago he told the Knutsford Guardian how much he had loved life as a boy growing up during the Second World War.

"We were allowed rations of meat and fat for the bakery so everyone could have one meat pie a week," he said.

National Service interrupted his plans to become an electrical engineer and he became a Royal Marine commando. He served in Palestine and was one of the last to return home.

"When everybody else had gone his command stayed to guard Jerusalem," said Joan.

When he returned to Mobberley Les realised he had acquired a new taste - for travel.

He wanted to become a baker on a ship, but eventually took over the family business and stayed in Mobberley.

It was a decision that benefited many.

For he became a Methodist Church youth leader in the village and did his best to spread God's word.

Yesterday, his daughter-in-law Michelle said many in Mobberley would remember him as a man who always had time for a chat.

"He gave his whole life to other people," she said.

His 30-year service to Mobberley Parish Council saw him oppose Manchester Airport's second runway.

Despite his best efforts for Mobberley, he still made time for his three children and seven grandchildren. His children were the result of a chance meeting with Stockport girl Joan during a Greek holiday cruise when he was 37.

They were both on the ship but met at Sultan's Palace in Istanbul.

"Our paths had presumably crossed quite a lot before, but that was the first time we met," she said.

Tomorrow (Thursday) the shop Les made his own will close at 11.30am as mourners gather at Mobberley Methodist Church for his funeral at noon.

Despite retiring several years ago his love of the bakery never faded and he worked a 20-hour week often arriving at 5.30am.

The staff always referred to him as 'Mr Goostrey' and will never forget the man, his ways or his bread-making secrets.

But his breads and pastries will continue to be made the traditional way by his family at Goostrey's off Town Lane.

For he shared his secrets with his son Martin and daughter-in-law Michelle, who learned that patience was clearly a virtue.

amoores@guardiangrp.co.uk