Fr Edward O'Toole, of St Edward RC Church and St Cuthbert's RC Church, Marsh Green, died on Tuesday after contracting the disease while visiting the Catholic shrine at Fatima, in Portugal. He was 47.

A service will take place in memory of Fr O'Toole at St Edward RC Church on Tuesday, November 3, at 7pm.

A requiem mass will be held in the priest's home parish at St Elizabeth's Church, in Litherland near Liverpool, on Wednesday, November 4, at 11am.

Fr O'Toole will then be laid to rest in a burial at Ford Cemetery, in Bootle.

Dean of Wigan, Canon Pat MacNally, said: "I knew Father O'Toole well and worked closely with him. This is a great loss to the parish and to Wigan."

Fr O'Toole returned from his trip to Portugal at the beginning of October with flu symptoms. He was admitted to Wigan Infirmary less than a week later with chest and kidney infections and was diagnosed with swine flu.

He fell unconscious while in hospital and died on Tuesday.

Only a handful of people from the North West are known to have died from the H1N1 virus. Health chiefs say that while most people who catch swine flu will have mild or moderate illness, some experience complications and their condition can deteriorate quite quickly.

The initial symptoms of swine flu can be similar to those of other illnesses, so they have stressed that people should be vigilant about their symptoms.

Parents with young children are being told to be particularly aware of this, as acute illnesses may be more difficult to diagnose in a young child.