TRIBUTE has been paid to York Knavesmire Harriers stalwart Harold John Dobson, who died this week in York Hospital. He was aged 77.

Born in Scarborough in 1936, he moved to South Africa in 1977, working as a fitter/ mechanic for a number of years before opening his own sports shop there, specialising in his love of running.

He competed in the daunting Comrades Marathon five times – a 56-mile long course between Durban and Pietermanitzburg, but run in opposite directions each year.

He and his wife Yvonne moved to York in 2000. Living in New Earswick, he was a caretaker at Joseph Rowntree School.

He soon joined York Knavesmire Harriers, becoming an absolute inspiration, said club president Malcolm Fawcett, pictured right.

“He completed over 100 marathons in total but the truly incredible statistic is that he completed 90 of them in the magic time of under three hours.

“In the recent Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon (in York) out of 6,000 runners only 57 finishers achieved this time.

“All of us at YKH will miss Harold tremendously as I am sure will runners all over the North Yorkshire running scene and indeed far beyond.”