ATHLETES across the North West have been shocked by the death of Dave Clarke on Saturday morning after a fall at home last Wednesday.

Road racers at the Coniston 14 Mile Road Race on Saturday were told on the start line and responded with a warm round of applause in appreciation of his dedicated service to the sport.

He would normally have been there to collate the results. Clarke, who was 53 and from Garstang, was one of the most familiar and popular figures on the circuit and tributes to a man whose life was dedicated to others have been tinged with concern about how the sport can replace him.

Clarke organised a series of road races in northern Lancashire including the Garstang 10K and the Caldervale 10M and worked as the Race Co-ordinator for the Blackpool Marathon.

He also ran a comprehensive computerised results service with his wife Diane, hence his association with Coniston, and there was an associated running website www.ukroadraces.net.

Four years ago, he helped to computerise the results for the Mid Lancs Cross Country League, replacing the old disc system with race numbers which facilitated much earlier results - much to the appreciation of this correspondent.

He was also a qualified course measurer, and several clubs, including my own club, never received his bill for expenses after he measured their race routes. Latterly, he was also the Race Permit Officer for Lancashire.

It seems incredible, but at the same time he worked full time for the NHS in a challenging job as a Drug and Alcohol Councillor.

In his earlier running career, he represented Red Rose Road Runners and completed three London Marathons. He also ran a Marathon at Rheims in France where the race was marshalled by Gendarmes armed with guns.

That idea appealed to his wry sense of humour. Later, he ran for Garstang and at the time of his death was a member of the Lancaster and Morecambe club.

Ron McAndrew, who Clarke collaborated with on the Blackpool Marathon, describes him as his mentor, a calm and collected person whose favourite phrase was, "It'll be alright."

Brian Porter, Steve Ashcroft and Lewis McAndrew stepped in to allow the Coniston 14 to go ahead and the same team will be in action on Good Friday to ensure that Clarke's last promotion, the Caldervale Country 10M, will be run.

Porter has confirmed that anyone taking along the completed entry form on the day will be allowed to run even if they haven't pre-entered.

It can be downloaded from the site, but on-line entry is suspended and athletes should not call the phone number on the form.

l Because of the sudden nature of Clarke's death, there has been an autopsy and an inquest, so the funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.