A CLEVEDON runner who died just yards from the finish during the Bristol Half Marathon has been described as a ‘wonderful family man’ following an inquest into his death.

Nick Read, aged 33, was running his first half marathon when he stopped 600m from the end and collapsed outside the Bristol Hippodrome.

His sudden death left his wife Louise widowed, just days after the pair celebrated their first wedding anniversary.

His younger brother Adam said no-one had a bad word to say about Nick.

He said: “Nick was amazing and a massive role model and I don’t think I was closer to anyone else other than my son Corey.

“When growing up he used to beat me up playing around but he also looked after me and was always there for me.

“I don’t think I ever fell out with him. We were always having a laugh and he was always very generous and kind.”

His father Kevin said although Nick had no children of his own, he treated his nieces and nephews as if they were his.

He said: “They all adored him. They used to call him Noo Noo, as his older sister Claire did when she was growing up.

“He was just a superb guy. He had a great sense of humour, very dry.”

Adam’s partner Zoe added: “He was loved by everybody. He wasn’t ever a sad person.”

At Flax Bourton Coroner’s Court on April 4, assistant deputy coroner Gail Elliman recorded a verdict of natural causes after hearing Nick had suffered a heart problem.

Medical staff and an off-duty doctor tried to resuscitate him but to no avail.

Nick, who lived in Ruddymead, was running the race on September 11 to raise money for the Mwenya Uganda charity – an organisation that sets up mobile medical and dental facilities.

The keen surfer had taken up running to keep fit and did several 10km runs for other charities, including Cancer Research UK.

He moved to Clevedon as a toddler from Leicester and went to Mary Elton Primary School.

After leaving school he worked at Tesco before completing an electrician’s apprenticeship. He went onto become an electrical engineer.

And Adam said Nick’s approachable nature made him excellent in his job.

He said: “A lot of people in Nick’s situation are said to be amazing and good, but Nick really was just that.”