HAROLD RILEY LAID TO REST IN WEASTE CEMETERY

The people of Salford turned out today to say there final farewells to Harold Riley the Salford artist as hew was laid to rest in Weaste Cemetery today,

Following a Funeral service at St Luke's R.C. Church the cortege passed Swinton Civic Centre and made it's way to Weaste Cemetery where people who had lined the footpaths spontaneously burst in applause as the hearse passed them, a wonderful gesture to show both their love and affection for him.

I spoke to several people there who told me what Harold meant to them.

John Catterall, said:

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"I have an interest in art and such artists as Valette, Lowry and Riley are amongst my favourites and to me, Harold embodied Salford he painted the good and the great but always had a love for Salford and it's people and in return they loved him, he was the ideal Salfordian and it would be great if there was a statue erected of him as a permanent reminder"

Linda Dempsey who know lives in Clifton but was from St Stephens area of Salford originally told me that in 2003 she was in The Lowry Outlet Mall where Harold had a showroom and gallery, she plucked up courage to ask him for an autograph and he kindly took out a piece of paper and sketched a dog for her, a piece of artwork that she treasures and felt she had to come today to show her respect and say goodbye to him.

Finally, Salford artist Tony Easom explained why he had come to pay his respects:

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"I have always been aware of Harold Riley's artwork and I am a great fan of him both as an artist and as a man, I only met him once and that was in Light Oaks Park, Salford when he opened The Tea Osk serving cups of tea and refreshments, my wife Lisa and I had a brief chat with him, he was a lovely man"