Carl Kenyon, of Kenyon's Funeral Directors, said Naeem Ahmed's example was one of the most selfless he had ever seen during his 25-year career.

MS sufferer Mr Ahmed, 39, of Eaves Lane, was devastated when he found his friend of 18 years, Dave Young, collapsed on his bathroom floor a fortnight ago.

Although Naeem made frantic efforts to revive him by giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR with help from a 999 operator, the asthma sufferer died aged 55.

With no family and very few friends, Mr Young hadn't made any provisions for funeral arrangements.

However Mr Ahmed was determined his friend wound have the send-off he deserved and somehow raised the £1,800 needed.

The service took place at Charnock Richard Crematorium and included a motorbike rally in recognition of the dead man's love of bikes.

Undertaker Mr Kenyon told the Guardian: "I've been am undertaker for 25 years and it's the first time I've done a funeral where there's no family at all.

"Mr Ahmed paid for the whole costs. The alternative would have been a pauper's grave at the cemetery and Mr Ahmed didn't want that.

"His friendship with Mr Young goes beyond life."
Mr Ahmed, who has three children, said: "Dave's death was unexpected. Although he had been in and out of hospital with asthma, he hadn't shown any signs of being unwell and I had only seen him 10 minutes before he died.

"Dave was married but he had separated from his wife and she died more than 10 years ago. He had no children of his own but he was very close to my kids because after my wife died he would help out when I had to go to work.

"I have had to borrow and scrape to get the money together because I cannot work due to my condition.

"It was always Dave's wish that he would be cremated and he was a keen angler so he wanted his ashes to be scattered in Heapey."

Mr Ahmed will hold a fundraising rock night on July 26 at Chorley Rugby Club and is hoping people will buy tickets to help raise the £1,800 needed to cover funeral costs.

"I have already received some donations but it is nowhere near enough and I just can't afford to pay for the funeral myself as it is already difficult trying to bring up my three children," he said.

"Dave was such a good friend to me and I just don't like the thought of him being buried in an un-marked grave when I know it isn't what he would have wanted."

Tickets for the fundraising event will be available on the night costing £4 each. For more information please contact Mr Ahmed on 07857251564.