COLIN Simpson, who has died aged 82, would regularly be seen by his neighbours in Solihull pounding the pavements in his running gear.

For it was to athletics, and running in particular, that he devoted his life defying all logic to compete at club, county and international level up to the age of 75.

As well as competing, Colin also played a pivotal part in the administration of the sport locally which led last year to him receiving the West Midlands Region award for services to athletics by England Athletics.

A 60-year career in athletics afforded Colin opportunities to travel the world and meet famous names from the sport including Olympians Lord Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett.

Colin first showed promise as an athlete at King Edward VI Grammar School, Camp Hill, where in his fifth year he won the Victor Ludorum award on sports day.

His running prowess came in handy during a brush with the law in which he outpaced a policeman after an incident involving matches and some dustbins.

It was an anecdote Colin’s son Roger was regaled with on occasion.

He recalled: “The breathless officer gasped ‘with speed like that, son, you should take up running’.”

And so he did, in 1944, with the Small Heath Harriers competing later that year in the Post Office Sports competition.

He later became secretary of SHH, now the Solihull and Small Heath Athletics Club, and was a founder member and treasurer of the Midland Masters Athletic Club.

In the 1950s he was a four-times winner of the Coronation Cup for the Warwickshire senior men’s mile – a feat which has never been repeated.