Sussex lost virtually their last link with pre-war athletics when the remarkable George Scutts died at the age of 84.

George was one of the leading British long distance runners of his time but, as for so many of his era, his best years were lost to the war.

After leaving Chichester High School he enrolled as an aircraft electrician in the RAF in 1937 but in those days there was little athletic activity at that end of the county and he joined Portsmouth Athletic Club, with whom he remained until his death.

Although his racing was for a Hampshire club, his home for most of his life was Bognor and his allegiance was always to Sussex.

After running in the Sussex cross country team in the Inter-Counties Championships in 1939, George was posted to India and much of his running and racing was done with the RAF in exotic postings throughout the world.

George left the RAF in 1945 but rejoined one year later. In 1946 he finished second in the prestigious Finchley 20, a race that attracted the top British long distance runners. Tom Richards, who two years later took the bronze medal in the marathon at the London Olympics, was the man who beat George.

A few weeks later, George won the Chichester to Portsmouth road race, beating arch rival from Sussex, the late Cecil Ballard from Bexhill, who was then the county champion.

George was to have many battles with Cecil, who was short listed for the British Olympic team in 1948 for the marathon.

In 1949, when in my teens, I ran with George in the county 20-mile championship, which was then held from Preston Park, Brighton, straight up the A23 to just short of the Bolney crossroads where the runners turned and retraced their steps back to finish in Preston Park.

Another overseas posting, this time to Germany, saw more success for this slim Bognor athlete and several RAF titles came his way over 5,000 and 10,000 metres.

He also ran for the British Forces against the American and the French forces.

It was during his time in Germany that he discovered, with Charlie Smart from Belgrave, Paarlauf racing. Paarlauf means 'pair run'. Two athletes race for a distance or stipulated time and one of the pair must be on the track all the time.

George and Charlie were to introduce this form of training and racing to Britain and it is still used to this day. Brighton & Hove's Hugh Foord and Paul Abrahams set a world record ten-mile Paarlauf time at the Withdean Stadium and Brighton and Hove and Phoenix still hold a Paarlauf evening at Withdean each year. It is also in the programme for the Sussex Sports Hall League.

Short postings home followed by further trips to various countries, including Aden, did not stop George's running and in 1972 he competed in his final RAF Championships, 34 years after his debut, a record that will never be beaten.

A champion of veterans athletics, particularly road running, he has raced in many World Veterans Championships including the first, the Masters at Toronto, when he won bronze medals in the 5,000 metres, 10,000 metres and cross country.

George's name was rarely off the prize list in road races right into his eighties when he won the British Veterans Athletics Federations 10km road race and cross country titles.

After leaving the RAF, George worked at Goodwood Aerodrome and for 22 years lectured each week on woodcarving in Bognor.