WET Wet Wet star Marti Pellow's dad has died after a year-long battle with cancer.

The chart-topping singer, whose real name is Mark McLachlan, was left distraught following the death of his dad John had died at the age of 79 at his home in Dalmuir, Clydebank.

Marti, who is due to return to Glasgow to perform in Blood Brothers at the King's Theatre in November, now has no surviving immediate family after losing his mum, Margaret, in 2003 and his big brother, John, in 2011.

The 49-year-old was close to his former Clyde shipbuilder dad and Marti's spokesman, David Bloom, said the singer was "unavailable for comment" yesterday.

Close pals and regulars in the Cleddans Bar in Clydebank where John socialised for many years paid tribute to "a genuinely lovely man" and said his death on Monday was a "sad loss" to everyone who knew him

A friend said: "John was the nicest guy you could ever meet. He had no airs or graces. He was just a down to earth, funny and a truly great friend who will be sadly missed.

"He was so proud of his boys but never boasted about his son Mark being in showbiz.

"It didn't matter to him that his son was famous, he loved him for who he was and he was very close to both his boys.

"He had been fighting cancer for about a year and he had all the treatment, but there was nothing more doctors could do for him.

"I can't believe he's gone."

janice.burns@eveningtimes.co.uk