Tributes have been paid to a well-respected athletics official who was also president of West Cheshire AC.

Joe Shellhorn passed away peacefully at home overnight on April 2/3, aged 86. He had been awaiting a heart valve replacement.

Joe, who was born in Doncaster, was widely known in athletics largely due to his role as a field events official.

He came into athletics in the early 1970s due to his two daughters’ participation in the sport while at school.

Moving to Chester in 1972 from Cheltenham, along with his wife Ruth, the Shellhorn family soon became involved in helping and officiating. They rapidly became known as accomplished officials and Joe mentored many officials over the years he was involved in the sport.

Joe was due to receive the British Athletics long service award in recognition of his 40 years’ service as an official at the annual Officials’ Conference on April 19.

After Joe’s wife passed away in 1988, he continued his involvement in the sport and officiated at all levels. He was involved with his local club, which is now West Cheshire AC, taking on a number of committee roles throughout his time and was the current club president.

For many years he was the officials’ secretary for the Cheshire County AA and was instrumental in ensuring that the county and its clubs recruited officials. He was also president of the Cheshire County AA.

A spokesman for West Cheshire AC paid tribute to the club stalwart, saying: “Joe enjoyed the sport immensely and made many friends in all parts of the world. He was just as happy at a local schools event as being at an international level meeting. On a number of occasions he was at the World Masters T&F Championships in a variety of countries, working with the technical team of officials – with many amusing stories to tell.

“We will miss him greatly and we send our condolences to his family.”

Malcolm Rogers, officials manager for UK Athletics, said it was ‘sad news indeed’, adding: “Joe was a mentor to hundreds of officials and was one of life’s absolute gentlemen.”