Tributes have been paid to fundraiser and Pride of Manchester winner Neil Cliffe.Neil died aged 85 on Saturday morning (July 18).He leaves behind his wife Joan, daughter Jacqui and two grandchildren Alexander and Christopher.Neil first began fundraising after he was diagnosed with colon cancer back in 1981, when he was aged 45.He launched a 'buy a brick appeal', long before crowdfunding was invented, with the aim to build a centre for patients living with the disease to find respite.Neil was also the first cancer patient in England to run a marathon.He beat the disease after undergoing a life-saving operation and continued to tirelessly fundraise to help others.In 1992, having raised more than £1m, he opened the doors of the Neil Cliffe.