TRIBUTES were paid last night to a North-East athletics legend who honed the talents of thousands of young runners round the region.

Stan Long, best known as the coach of multi-medal winner Brendan Foster, died in hospital in his home town of Gateshead, at the age of 76 early yesterday.

He was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital earlier this month suffering a brain tumour, but deteriorated in recent days.

The former welder, whose athletics interest grew after visiting the London Olympics of 1948, coached at Gateshead Harriers from 1961.

He was employed as a promotions officer by Gateshead Council's leisure services department to generate interest in the new Gateshead International Stadium in 1975.

The following year he was an official coach with the Great Britain squad at the Montreal Olympics, where Brendan Foster collected the only British track medal, a 10,000 metres bronze.

Although he retired in 1994, Mr Long maintained his hobby coaching youngsters at Gateshead Harriers.

Athletics promoter John Caine, a contemporary of Brendan Foster, said even on what turned out to be his death bed, Mr Long retained his enthusiasm for the sport.

"I went to visit him in hospital last Wednesday and I took him a copy of Athletics Weekly.

"He was sitting up talking about a promising young steeple-chaser's progress and he was as keen as ever.

"He was a much-loved character in the sport and he's helped develop hundreds, if not thousands of youngsters.

"When they got older they took their own sons to him, he is that well respected.

"But his proudest moment was definitely the 1976 Olympics, being an official coach."

Olympic triple-jump gold medallist Jonathan Edwards, a Gateshead Harrier, described Mr Long as, "a charming man".

"He had just a lovely, open, warm-hearted personality. He was caring and interesting.

"He knew everyone across the athletics community in the North-East, who will all miss him."

Foster broke the news of Mr Long's death while commentating on the BBC with fellow North-East running legend Steve Cram, at yesterday's Greater Manchester Road Race.

He said it was a "huge loss" to athletics to lose such an enthusiastic figure.

Mr Long, who was a grandfather, leaves a widow Joan, daughter Christine and son Paul.