ONE of the country s top Paralympic athletes has been tragically killed. Local sporting hero Paul Pearce, 43, of The Crescent, Letchworth GC, died from multiple injuries after he was struck by a lorry while on a training run along the A507 Stotfold bypass

ONE of the country's top Paralympic athletes has been tragically killed.

Local sporting hero Paul Pearce, 43, of The Crescent, Letchworth GC, died from multiple injuries after he was struck by a lorry while on a training run along the A507 Stotfold bypass.

A member of North Herts Road Runners and past winner of two Comet Sports Awards, Mr Pearce was on his second run of the day as he prepared for an attempt on the marathon world record of 2hr 32m for his disability category for partially sighted athletes.

He represented Great Britain at the Paralympic Games in the marathon in Athens in 2004 and won gold at the International Blind Sports Association marathon world championship in the city the previous year.

After he failed to return home on Thursday, his partner Helena Kelly, fearing he might have had an accident, reported him missing to Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire police.

Members of North Herts Road Runners meeting for their evening training runs mounted a search under the direction of club member and senior police officer Richard Harbon.

Tributes have been pouring into the club's website and to The Comet from across the UK reflecting how loved he was and how much he will be missed.

His death was summed up best by Mr Harbon who said: "There were a lot of tears when we were informed he had died."

An investigation by Bedfordshire police into the tragedy continues.