Tributes have flooded in to the founder of Lancaster's first ever takeaway, who has died.
Mohsen Rad, who ran the Ali Baba takeaway in North Road, Lancaster, died on Thursday (June 4) after suffering a haemorrhage four days earlier.
The 66-year-old Iranian food lover, who was known in Lancaster for his iconic moustache over the years, founded the city's first takeaway as we know them today, bringing doner kebabs and pizza to the high street for the first time.
And his food was loved by all, with Lancaster University students regularly turning up after a night out at Sugarhouse just a small walk away.
Speaking to LancsLive, his son Daniel said: "It's such a shame because he was having a really nice day out when this happened. He was enjoying a picnic by the riverside.
"He was a large gregarious man that employed half of Lancaster over the years."
Mohsen arrived in England from his native Iran, opening Ali Baba in 1985 with business partner Shahriar Abdulliahan.
"It was the first in Lancaster of what we now call a takeaway," Daniel said.
"He met my mum, a local girl from Lancaster, and said let's bring the food over to here."
As well Lancaster, Mohsen had a number of takeaway franchises across Lancashire and Cumbria during the 1980s and 1990s, founding Ali Cats in Garstang and another Ali Baba in Kendal, which is now Sizzle-In. He also had an eatery in Morecambe.
"Everyone was on fish and chips before dad, it's all they had," Daniel said.
"He supported dozens of other Iranians from all over the place.
"He was prolific, everyone knew him from Bookers [food wholesalers at Morecambe] to Preston where all the Asian community knew him."
Daniel added: "His business partner Shahriar is now living in Brazil but he got in touch and told us he was heartbroken at the news.
"It's been lovely to get all the tributes. I've just had someone say their brother used to work for him who now lives in Perth in Australia. There's been people in the United States too.
"He helped people who had just arrived in the country and went out of his way to help them get work. He helped many people who would have been written off otherwise."
Daniel added: "He was a pillar of the community. He helped make and feed generations of people.
"Everyone used to come out of the Sugarhouse club and into his place. Everyone knew him because he had this great big moustache.
"He was off and on with it over the years. He kept bringing it back and I'd take the mick out of him."
Mohsen kept the takeaway running through the coronavirus pandemic, with Daniel saying: "He said to me that 'people still need to eat so I will keep the doors open'."
Mohsen, who lived in Halton, leaves behind five children and seven grandchildren.
