TRIBUTES have poured in from across the athletics world for one of Thurrock sport’s most popular characters.

Thurrock Harrier Mel Batty, the former ten-mile world record holder and coach to Eamonn Martin, died on Monday night, aged 71.

He had been fighting for his life since suffering a heart attack ten days earlier.

Former London Marathon winner and triple Olympian Martin described Batty as his “biggest support and number one fan”.

Martin said: “He was there right beside me through all the peaks and troughs of my career.

“So many people knew Mel and I can see all the tributes pouring in for him. He was a friend of so many people.

“Our relationship never changed. He was a great friend to me.”

Thurrock Harriers’ David Staines described his good friend as a true inspiration.

Staines was convinced to stop playing football and take up running at 21 by the success of Batty.

“He was an inspiration to all my generation,” said Staines, now the Harriers chairman.

“He was not naturally gifted. All he achieved was through hard work.

“He has been a great mate to us all over the years and we have stayed friends throughout the years.

“He was the life and soul of the party.

“He was last seen at Thurrock Harriers a little more than a week ago supporting a 13-year-old athlete he had been recently advising with as much enthusiasm as he had advised Eamonn Martin a decade earlier.

"He will be greatly missed.”

Another British London Marathon winner Paula Radcliffe added that Mel was “a lovely man who will be greatly missed”.

Batty, who was born in Grays and lived in Thundersley for many years, may be remembered by many as a successful coach, but in his own youth, he was a world-class runner.

He was twice national cross country champion, represented England at the Commonwealth Games in Australia in 1962 and won a bronze and silver medal at World Cross Country Championships.

But the Harrier’s career highlight was probably running a world record for ten miles (47m 26.8s) on a cinder track at Hurlingham in April 1963.