A DOUBLE Olympian who was loved and respected by friends and family has died at the age of 89.

Eric Hall lived in Layer Breton for 38 years with his widow, Mavis, to whom he was married for 63 years.

Mr Hall was involved in the Essex race walker community and took park in two Olympic games as well as being the treasurer of Olympians for Great Britain for 12 years.

He came ninth place in the 1956 Melbourne 50 kilometre walk and came tenth in the 20 kilometre walk in the Rome 1960 Olympic games.

Mr Hall won the national 20 race in Colindale in 1957 where he had said the national 20 win gave him the most satisfaction of any in his career.

He also came first in the World Masters in 2002 in Melbourne at the age of 70.

Mr Hall was born in Oxshott, Surrey, in 1932 and was involved in many walking clubs around the UK.

He was known to some as the longest serving member of Belgrave.

He was a life member at Belgrave Hall and was the club president from 1999 to 2000.

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Mrs Hall said: “He led a full life and enjoyed his 30 years of retirement.

“He was a kind and modest man and if he met anybody out of the walking scene, he wouldn’t talk about it.

“He had a sense of humour and would go out of his way to help anybody.

“He loved walking around Layer Marney and the village and when he was younger he liked long walks around Cornwall.”

A fellow competitor and Olympic commentator David Ainsworth said: “He was a really nice guy who would do anything for anybody and always do it with a smile on his face.

“He was modest and unassuming as one who never boasted about his Olympic achievements and athletics prowess.”

Mr Hall’s funeral will be held on April 19 at the Colchester Crematorium in Mersea Road.