Oxfordshire AA president Barrie Strange has died after a battle with cancer at the age of 74.

Mr Strange was also president of the White Horse Harriers Athletics Club, of whom he was a founder, and an active member of Oxford City.

He was a stalwart of Oxfordshire athletics for more than 50 years, and was a regular contributor to the Oxford Mail athletics column, providing results and reports from Oxfordshire AA events.

While living in Wantage, Mr Strange was involved with the formation of White Horse Harriers in October 1981, and became the club’s first chairman.

The expertise he brought to the newly-for-med club enabled Harriers to host the Oxfordshire Cross Country Championships within the first three months of their existence.

He was honoured to become the club’s president, and he regularly officiated at athletics competitions with his wife, Margaret.

Until illness intervened last year, Mr Strange had officiated at every White Horse Half Marathon.

Oxon AA chairman Alan Vincent said: “Barrie worked incredibly hard for Oxfordshire athletics and had been in the sport for more than 60 years.”

Mr Strange’s service to athletics went far beyond White Horse Harriers.

Having first been elected to the county committee in 1960, he was Oxon track and field championships secretary from 1965 to 1974, and returned to the role in recent years.

He was elected as Oxon AA president in 1997 – and his support for younger members of his clubs was always appreciated.

As an athlete, Mr Strange competed in the 1948 Oxfordshire Schools Championships in the 220 yards.

By the late 1950s and early 1960s, he was specialising in the 880 yards, where he consistently ran sub-two minutes.

Mr Strange also represented Oxford City in heavy thr-ows events in the Southern League and British League, and was City’s club captain between 1957 and 1963.

He was elected a life vice president of Oxford City in 1990.

Mr Strange was a senior official, who first qualified in 1956 as a track and field judge, rising to Level 4 field and Level 3 track.

Oxon AA publicity officer Mike Shipway said: “Barrie was a colossus in more ways than one and it’s a tragedy to have lost him in this way.

“He was a big-hearted guy who worked so hard for county athletics.”

He leaves a widow, Margaret, daughter Alex and son Andrew.

His funeral will take place on Friday at noon in St Andrew’s Church, East Hagbourne, followed by a celebration of his life at the Conservative Club, Foxhall Road, Didcot in the afternoon.