A miniscule speck of nut could have sparked the violent allergic reaction which led to the death of an 11-year-old, an inquest was told.

Ethan Thomas became ill moments after tasting a takeaway curry at his Loughborough home.

His parents, Rod and Judith, were aware that their son had a nut allergy and were scrupulous about his diet.

He had eaten the same curry before.

But the hearing in Loughborough yesterday was told that on June 17 he became ill after tasting a few mouthfuls. He was given an injection of adrenaline through his epiPen to combat the attack but he got worse.

He was taken to hospital and given larger doses of adrenaline on the way, but later died.

Pathologist Roger Malcomson said: "Ethan could have been so sensitive that there may have been no nuts in the dish.

"It could be that there were nuts where the meal was being prepared and it was contaminated by utensils. A miniscule amount could cause the reaction in seconds."

Coroner Trevor Kirkman recorded a verdict that Ethan died as a result of an accident.

He expressed his condolences to Ethan's parents and the rest of the family.

Ethan's father Rod is running a half-marathon in London this month to raise money for the Anaphylaxis Campaign. Donate at:

www.justgiving.com/ Rod-Thomas0

Youngsters are getting to see art up close after a sculpture was unveiled at their school.

The children, parents and teachers at Overdale Infant School, in Knighton, Leicester, all had a hand in designing the work of art.

The bronze piece, created by artist Austin Owen, who is a parent at the school, depicts a ship at sea and is named Sea of Life.

School head Philippa Maksymiw said the purpose of the work was to "inspire and delight children, families, artists, authors and creators of the future".

She said: "It will belong to the Overdale school community and all the fabulous people that make the school such a wonderful place to be."

The sculpture has a smaller twin, which will be used in joint creativity and arts classes with youngsters at Overdale Junior School.

Mrs Maksymiw said each class would have the statue for the time that they worked together to inspire them during classes.

Funding for the sculpture was raised by the parents association of both schools.

The sculpture, which stands in the school's reception, was unveiled yesterday by city councillor Vi Dempster.

From five-inch platforms and bell-bottomed trousers to kipper ties and gold lamè suits, a men's fashion store has survived it all.

Chris Scotney, the owner of Christopher Scotney Menswear, has decided to throw a big party this weekend to mark his shop's 40-year anniversary.

Dedicated followers of fashion have been invited to the store in London Road, Leicester, on Sunday to sample champagne and caviar, live music and magic to celebrate the a la mode milestone.

Chris, 65, remembers the opening day like it was yesterday.

He said: "I slept in the store the night before – I gave the window cleaner quite a shock the following morning.

"The day itself was a whirlwind. The shop was packed to the rafters – the people of Leicester were ready for something new, and they found it right here.

"Forty years of successful independent trading is no mean feat these days. I am delighted that we are weathering the recession remarkably well.

"The demand for well-made, luxury clothing has not waned. Our continued success is down to the integrity of the brands that we offer, my team's dedication to excellent service, and a sprinkling of good luck.

"So much has changed since 1972. I love the dynamic nature of this business. It is essential that we keep moving forwards – stand still and you get overtaken.

"I've every intention of ensuring we are still leading the way in another 40 years."

He said that one of the most exciting times was during the three-day week of the early 1970s, introduced by the Government to conserve electricity during miners' strikes.

The shop had "generators everywhere" to keep running.

Another of his favourite memories is of selling Giorgio Armani sweaters 25 years ago at £100 a piece.

"They sold like hot cakes. I had to go down to London to get fresh supplies," he said.

Daughter Anna, 36, a director of the firm, said: "Dad may be 65 but I don't think he has any thoughts of retiring.

"The shop started on one floor, but we now sell off three floors and run our hire department from a building we bought next door.

"People are happy to come and shop here although we're not in the city centre."

Anna cut her teeth in the fashion business at Harrods before returning to the family business nine years ago, becoming a director four years later.

She said: "I used to work here in the school holidays and while I was at university."

Of the shop's 20 staff, several have been with the business for more than 30 years, including tailor Nilesh Patel.

Anna said: "The store has a nice, family feel about it. One of our staff who has just retired, spent his whole working life here."

Chris said: "I'm planning for Anna to take over the business when I'm 70.

"I've really enjoyed it. It's given me some good times and a good life."

The celebrations on Sunday start from 11am, and will include a prize draw, a demonstration of Bentleys and a collection for Leicestershire hospice Loros.

A jealous man who mercilessly tortured his girlfriend and held her captive for a week has been told to expect a jail term "well into double figures".

The 24-year-old father was convicted unanimously by a jury yesterday of inflicting grievous bodily harm, three rapes and false imprisonment.

During the trial, the court heard how the 18-year-old victim was whipped with electrical cable, burnt with hair straighteners, punched, kicked and stamped on.

She was tied up, had her hair hacked off with a knife, bleach was poured over head and their daughter's soiled nappy rammed into her face.

The teenager was repeatedly raped in their Leicester home, where she was held captive between April 8 and 15.

The defendant confiscated her mobile phone so she could not call for help.

Their 22-month-old daughter witnessed some of the atrocities to which her mother was subjected.

The youngster was encouraged to "hit mummy" with a pole as she lay helpless on the floor, tied up and rolled inside a rug. The defendant, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, denied all the allegations.

He was acquitted of one offence of sexual assault.

The defendant, in a dark brown suit and tie, bowed his head in the dock at Leicester Crown Court and wept as the verdicts were announced.

During the 10-day trial he claimed the victim had cheated on him and was beaten up by unknown men.

He said she falsely pinned the blame on him to get him arrested and out of their home.

After the verdicts were delivered, Judge Simon Hammond said: "It was torture. It was brutal. She was beaten in a sadistic way.

"It was about control and punishment of a woman he wrongly thought was cheating on him.

"Anyone who saw those awful injuries would have been driven to horror.

"I will be considering a sentence well into double figures.

"The victim was a courageous young woman and showed dignity giving evidence in court."

Judge Hammond praised the detectives who worked on the case for their "well-conducted police inquiry".

The victim, now 19, escaped from the house when the defendant's mother visited, making a dash to a neighbour's for help.

Judge Hammond said: "A paramedic who spent 19 years on the frontline in accident and emergency said she had never seen such injuries on a woman.

"The defendant showed her not a shred of mercy.

"Women shouldn't be treated like that. They deserve to be protected from violent vicious men like this."

The case was adjourned until November 23.

A Facebook campaign in protest at Tigers' Welford Road home not being listed as a venue for the Rugby World Cup in 2015 has gained about 1,000 supporters.

Nicola Jones, who is behind the campaign, is supporting the demand by Leicester South MP Jon Ashworth to get the venue placed on the shortlist for pool matches.

Ms Jones said: "We believe it is shameful that, in the birthplace of rugby union, those responsible for its history will not include Welford Road, our fantastic facility, as a venue.

"A huge opportunity is being lost to showcase the success of English clubs in the sport."

She said the choice of 14 football stadiums on the long list was "a contemptuous snub handed out to great clubs."

"When omitting Welford Road it was stated that the pitch did not meet the criteria set nor did the stadium," Ms Jones said.

"However, in 1991, Welford Road held qualifying matches in that year's World Cup."

She said Heineken Cup and Aviva Premiership matches were held in the stadium.

England Rugby 2015 said the main reason for rejecting Welford Road was that the pitch was 4m short of the minimum size required.

Leicester City's King Power Stadium has been included on the long list.

Charlie Clapham, 21 actor and body piercer, Hamilton

"I've got a few. My dad does them but I make sure that I'm going to be happy with them when I'm 60. I also get them in places I can cover up because I'm an actor."

Alice Lister, 19 student, city centre

"No, I don't have any. I don't think it would look good when I'm 60 or 70 years old."

Mary Thompson, 80 retired, Humberstone

"I don't have any and I won't now because of my age, but I quite like to see some of them. Perhaps if I was younger."

Ryan Clayton, 16 student, Knighton

"No, I don't have one – I don't like the idea of having it forever."

Aoife Blake, 26 photographer, city centre

"I've got an Egyptian-style eye on my wrist, two swallows on my hips, cherry blossom on my back and a henna-style pattern on my ankle. They don't really mean anything, though, they're purely aesthetic."

Xinwei Ma, 21 student, city centre

"I don't have one yet, but I'm going to get a lotus flower on my arm because I'm a Buddhist."

Kyle Bloxham, 26 unemployed, St Matthews

"I have my kids' names and dates of birth on my wrist and two tribal patterns on my shoulders. I don't like the tribal ones any more, though. You should be sensible when picking a design."

Imran Khalifa, 27 unemployed, city centre

"I don't have any because I'm a Muslim – tattoos are harem [forbidden]."

Lee Wakeling, 40 carpenter, Evington

"No I don't have one – I never really thought about it and I'm getting a bit old for tattoos now."

Sarah Walters, 20 student, city centre

"I've got three: a cave with birds flying out on my shoulder, which symbolises my leaving home; a dream-catcher on my leg; and my name in Arabic on my stomach which I have because I was born in Saudi Arabia."

Martyn Potter, 41 landscape gardener, Whetstone

"I have one on my back of the word 'paradise' in Chinese writing which I got when I used to be a Jehovah's Witness. I would get more but I've spent 18 years looking for one I like."

Dean Thomas says he resigned as manager of Hinckley United because the club's damaged reputation for non-payment of wages stopped fresh blood wanting to sign for the club.

After 15 years and 972 games in charge, Thomas decided to call it a day following Tuesday night's FA Cup Preliminary Round defeat at lower-league Ossett Albion.

The 50-year-old had been in charge since the club's formation, in 1997, following the merger of Hinckley Town and Hinckley Athletic.

Thomas said he had enjoyed some "wonderful times" at the club and was grateful for the backing of United's "loyal supporters" during his long stint in charge.

But he also said that Hinckley had endured some "dark days" in recent times, and that the club's well-documented financial problems had finally caught up with the squad's ability to compete in Blue Square Bet North, where they are currently bottom.

"The last three seasons have been a constant battle against massive financial problems both for me, the players and the club, which has been well documented," said Thomas.

"Myself and my staff have stayed loyal and worked tirelessly to overcome these issues on a regular basis.

"I feel we remained professional at all times but, retaining only three regular players from last season's squad, compounded the problem after a mass exodus for unpaid wages (in the summer).

"I tried tirelessly to improve this squad after finishing near the bottom last season but, unfortunately, our reputation has gone before us and many non-league players refuse to join us and go elsewhere instead.

"The young players I have signed have given it a go and I don't blame them. But the Northern Conference is a tough place to learn their trade and, unfortunately, a bit too big for some of them at the moment.

"I hope, in time, they all cut it at this level and higher and take with them a little of what we have taught them.

"There has been little enjoyment recently and I have thought about resigning a couple of times over the last year or so. I would have still gone had we won on Tuesday.

"After all of the players walked out in the summer, bar three, the rebuilding process was tiring as I got rejection after rejection when trying to sign the new players I wanted and needed.

"I fought tooth and nail along the way but it just got too much. You cannot compete at this level without good players who know how tough the league is and have had experience of playing in it.

"Unfortunately, few of them were prepared to come and join us and that was hard to take.

"It's time to give someone else a go now.

"The board have been working hard to get things right at the club but that has come at a cost – and that cost is the football team.

"I would like to thank everyone throughout the club, at every level. This club has been a big part of mine and my family's life and I have made some life-long friends through all of this. I will take away some wonderful memories."

A statement from the United board read: "We wish Dean every success in his future career.

"We will be working hard to ensure that the right people are put in place to take the club forward.

"As a board, we would like the shareholders and supporters of Hinckley United to know that we have the club's interests at heart, and will work to the best of our ability to secure the future of the club, within the parameters of the financial restraints the club has historically been placed under."

Neil Lyne and Carl Heggs have been appointed caretaker-managers and their first test comes tomorrow at Colwyn Bay, who are 18th in the table with only two victories to their credit so far.

Lyne has offered to take on the role alongside his Development Centre duties, while Heggs has indicated his desire to stay involved with the Knitters.

A man stole packs of raw meat from a supermarket and sold them for cash to buy fast food because his home had no cooker, a court was told.

Leigh Bevan (26), of Sparkenhoe Street, Highfields, Leicester, pleaded guilty at Leicester Magistrates' Court to stealing two boxes of pork chops worth a total of £7.98 from a Leicester branch of Aldi on September 12.

He also admitted being in breach of a community order by failing to attend supervised appointments between September 21 and 25.

Prosecutor Louise Cox said Bevan was seen in the St George's Retail Park supermarket with a carrier bag, into which he put the boxes of meat.

"He was apprehended later and said he had sold the chops on for £5 to buy some fast food," said Ms Cox.

Michelle Harding, for Bevan, said her client received the benefit employment and support allowance, but had not budgeted properly and therefore stole food.

She said: "He has no cooker where he lives and so steals the food, sells it on and buys fast food."

The magistrates revoked the community order, imposed for four similar offences, and re-sentenced Bevan for all five offences.

He was given a total of 12 weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to attend supervision appointments for 12 months.

Police cordoned off the centre of a village yesterday after reports of gunshots in the early hours.

About a dozen officers, some with sniffer dogs, were called to Thrussington, near Syston, at 4.20am.

The Green was cordoned off while a scenes of crime officer placed four numbered markers in the road and took photographs.

The sound of gunfire was said to have been reported by a woman who runs a business in the village.

A villager, who asked not to be named, said: "She told us she was woken at about 4.30am by noise and commotion outside and heard what she thought was gunshots."

Another villager said: "She said she saw flashes and that there was a crowd of Asian lads talking and shouting, then she saw someone's hand go into a vehicle."

Nicole Richardson, whose family run The Star Inn, in The Green, said: "I don't know what to think.

"Thrussington isn't the kind of village where you would expect this kind of thing.

"The police are obviously taking very seriously what happened, but at the moment there's just a lot of speculation."

Eric Feasey, 59, whose home overlooks the scene, said: "I was woken at 5am.

"I looked out of the bedroom window and there were a lot of police about and one officer going up Regent Street with a sniffer dog."

Marie Brocksopp, owner of Ginger's Hair and Beauty Studio, in The Green, said: "It shook me up a bit coming to work this morning. I had to find another way to the shop. I've had to postpone my appointments, at the request of the police."

Police said last night their investigation was continuing. The force has not said whether a gun was fired.

June Marsh, breakfast chef at The Star Inn, said: "We were told there was an incident outside involving some people in a car and that two shots were fired.

"One of our guests said it sounded like car doors slamming.

"He is ex-military and said he would have recognised the sound of gunshots."

Another villager, who asked not to be named, said: "It sounded to me more like a car door shutting.

"I've lived in the countryside all my life and I think I would know the sound of a gun firing."

The police cordon was lifted at 8.30am, but an hour later was put back in place and extended as far as Hoby Road.

Fourteen specialist search officers from the tactical support group carried out a detailed search.

Where the markers had been placed, there were traces of what looked liked like dried blood.

A police spokeswoman said: "At 4.20am, we received a report of gunshots in an area near The Green.

"A vehicle with a number of occupants was driven away from the scene.

"Our inquiries are in their early stages. At the moment there are no reports of anyone being injured."

She said the cordon was replaced because "it is very much a live investigation and things keep changing".

Police carried out an armed raid on a house in Ratcliffe Road, Thrussington last night.

At the time of going to press, the force would not give any further information about what had happened.

Leicester city council Labour group's whip says she has had to "have a word" with some of the party's members about their attendance levels at meetings.

Councillor Barbara Potter, who is in charge of keeping discipline among the 51 Labour members sitting on the authority, said she was concerned a number of them were not going to enough meetings at the Town Hall.

Today, the Leicester Mercury publishes the attendance rates of all the city's politicians for the meetings they were expected to attend, between May last year and Tuesday.

Each member is expected to attend all of the seven full council meetings a year and may sit on one or more committees.

Attendance records are published on the council's website.

Three councillors had a 100 per cent attendance rate over the past 16 months.

A number have been present at about half the meetings they were expected at but said illness affected their attendance.

Coun Potter, who herself has a 97 per cent attendance rate, said: "Councillors have a duty to attend meetings, particularly when they are claiming allowances for them.

"In some cases, they have had health issues that have been cleared with me but for some I have had to have a word because they are not attending enough."

She did not name any particular councillors but Councillor Iqbal Desai, who represents Stoneygate, was asked to resign from the party following concerns about his attendance.

Since May 2011, he has been to 45 of 72 meetings. He was not available for comment yesterday.

Coun Potter said ill health had prevented Anne Glover, who represents Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields, from attending.

Coun Glover, who has a 46 per cent attendance record, said: "I have been seriously ill and I am still unwell.

"I do not like being unable to fire on all cylinders.

"I have discussed this with the whip and said that if I am not right by Christmas I will stand down.

Coun Glover said that there was more to being a councillor than attending meetings.

She said: "I still do a lot in my ward. I do my very best for people in my area and they know that."

Veteran Labour councillor John Thomas, who has a 63 per cent attendance record, agreed. He said he was more concerned about representing and campaigning for people in his Belgrave ward than attending meetings.

He said: "Being on the council is about getting out and working for people, not about sitting in the town hall or Faulty Towers (the nickname for the city council's soon to be demolished New Walk headquarters) firing off e-mails and trying to look important."

Liberal Democrat councillor Nigel Porter, who represents Aylestone, disputed his attendance figures as they appeared on the city council's website.

He was recorded as attending 54 of 87 meetings.

He said: "That's just not right. I'm down as being on committees I am not a member of and attending some meetings that I know I have not been to.

" I'll be taking it up with officers because my attendance is higher than it suggests."

The Mercury tried to contact a number of other councillors with lower attendance records, including former leader Veejay Patel and ex-lord mayor Rob Wann, but they were unavailable.

Castle ward councillor Neil Clayton attended all 43 of the meetings he was due at.

He said: "I don't find the meetings onerous.

"I am fortunate because, as chairman of a scrutiny commission, those meetings can only happen when I can be there.

"I also work in the city and don't have the family commitments some other councillors do. Some have had a pretty awful run with health and I have been lucky in that respect."

A city council spokeswoman said the authority had no power to make members attend meetings, but anyone who did not attend a meeting in six months would be struck off unless they had an approved reason for not turning up.

Leicester City's Andy King is determined to make amends for one of the heaviest defeats of his career when he lines up for Wales against Scotland in a vital World Cup qualifier, in Cardiff, tonight.

King was a part of the Wales side that was humiliated 6-1 by Serbia in their last qualifier, a defeat which left them rooted to the bottom of group A. They also lost their opening game to Belgium. The midfielder said they were determined to make up for that defeat against the Scots.

"I don't know where it came from and it was one of those results that will happen once in many years," he said.

"It was unfortunate because we were making big forward strides. Belgium were a strong side and we were down to 10 men after 20 or so minutes.

"We still had chances to get back into the game and we felt positive coming out of that game.

"For that to happen was a massive disappointment and you can't put your finger on why. It was just one of those nights.

"It is down to us now to put that right for the Scotland game. If we can get a positive result then it will put us right back in there, in with a chance in the group, and it would get the feelgood factor going around the camp again."

Although it is an international, the game will have the feel of a domestic derby club game and King said he is relishing the occasion.

"It is a nice one for us," he said. "The rivalry is there already and a lot of the players will know each other from playing in the league.

"We are confident we can come out on top.

"The last time we played Scotland, in Cardiff, we had a brilliant result so if we can replicate that it would be brilliant."

City's Anthony Knockaert is also in action tonight, for France under-21s against Norway.

A drug user who was Tasered by police for causing terror in a supermarket has been given a 12-month community order.

Sean Richard Palmer (25) threatened to hit people with wine bottles in the aisles of Asda, in Thurmaston.

He leapt on to counters, shouting and causing chaos. The store was evacuated, Leicester Crown Court was told.

Police with riot shields arrived and officers used pepper spray and a 50,000-volt stun gun to incapacitate Palmer, who was high on MCAT – mephedrone – and in a state of distress.

Palmer, of Clayton Drive, Thurmaston, had also caused a similar drug-fuelled disturbance days earlier in Birstall.

Victoria Rose, prosecuting, said the first sign anything was wrong in Asda was at 3.30pm on August 16, when Palmer wandered around saying: "They're waiting outside. They're after me."

Miss Rose said: "The store manager tried to calm him by talking to him."

She said Palmer picked up two bottles of wine and said he was going to throw the bottles at customers and staff.

She said he jumped on the restaurant counter, then behind it, and then back, continuing to make threats with the bottles.

Members of the public were ushered out of the store.

Palmer stood on a conveyor belt, smashed one of the bottles and kept hold of the jagged neck, shouting threats.

Ms Rose said: "Police had riot shields to protect themselves and eventually were able to detain him."

In interview, Palmer had little recollection of his actions, saying he had taken drugs.

He admitted causing an affray at Asda and also threatening behaviour, assaulting a police officer and having an offensive weapon, a garden fork, in a public place, on August 5.

On that date, Palmer began knocking on doors in Ashmead Crescent, Birstall, at 7.30am, holding the fork.

He appeared frightened and claimed he had the fork because people were after him.

Miss Rose said: "He started to run around saying he didn't trust the residents and people 'had it in' for him."

An officer spoke to him in Wanlip Lane. Palmer initially calmed down but suddenly announced the officer was not a real policeman and punched him in the face and fled.

He was chased to a nearby house, where he hammered on the window, scaring a mother indoors with children.

CS spray was used to detain him.

In interview, he claimed he was being pursued by a group with a hammer and a pitchfork.

Palmer had a previous conviction for possessing cocaine and cannabis.

Edward Barr, mitigating, said: "Until he was 23, he led a blameless life.

"Then there was a significant downturn of events. It's been a bad two years for him."

Palmer, who had mental health difficulties, was affected by the death of his grandmother and a friend who was addicted to drugs and killed himself.

Mr Barr said: "He was using the drug MCAT, which may explain but not excuse his behaviour in Asda and Birstall.

"He's spent the past seven weeks in custody, which has been a salutary lesson and he doesn't want to repeat the experience. He wants to turn a corner."

Palmer was given a 12-month community order with supervision.

Judge Sylvia De Bertodano said: "The behaviour was serious. Police officers shouldn't be treated in that way, nor members of the public.

"I know about mental health issues you've been suffering from.

"A community order will give you some support to get back on track."

Fly-half Toby Flood hopes Toulouse's 'boo boys' are in full voice when Leicester Tigers enter the white-hot atmosphere of the Municipal Stadium.

The 27-year-old is used to taking goal kicks in complete silence at Welford Road.

But 35,000 people will be making a cacophony of noise on Sunday each time he steps up to place the ball on his kicking tee when Tigers begin their Heineken Cup campaign away at the four-times winners.

Instead of ruining his concentration, however, Flood says the jeers actually have the opposite effect.

"They boo and whistle every time you get a goal kick – but that is actually quite nice when you have experienced both ends of the spectrum," he said. "Sometimes, silence is a bit false and weird. As you prepare to kick, you can pick up that odd voice in the crowd and that can grab your attention.

"There's an argument for saying it is actually better to have wolf whistles!

"I remember Matt Burke (former Newcastle full-back) saying that to me and I never really believed him until I experienced it for myself.

"Now, when the pressure is on, the whistles really don't bother me. The cacophony of noise is something I have got used to."

Flood has plenty of experience having earned 50 England caps and been the lynchpin of most of Tigers' forays into Europe since joining the club in 2008. Last season's trip across The Channel ended in misery as Tigers returned from a rampant Clermont with nothing to show for their efforts.

They exited the competition at the pool stages and Flood believes his side have learned some valuable lessons from that day in the Massif Centrale.

"We were undone in last year's competition by not picking up bonus points," he said.

"The two or three extra points you can get like that make a massive difference at the end of the group stages.

"It will be phenomenal to go to Toulouse and win but we also to be aware of how important the bonus points are."

Tigers' home fixture with Bath on Saturday, December 1, will kick-off at 12.30pm. It is live on ESPN.

The home game against Gloucester on Saturday, December, 29, has also been moved to a 5pm kick-off for Sky.

Tributes have been paid to a Leicester Riders basketball team coach who has died suddenly, aged 22.

Kris Ledgard was popular with players and fans alike, as he took the team through their pre-game warm-ups.

The former Loughborough University student's 12 months as the club's strength and conditioning coach coincided with the most successful season in the team's history.

He is understood to have collapsed and died while visiting his parents in Milton Keynes, last Friday.

The Riders will be holding a minute of applause for Kris before their game against London Lions on Saturday, where his parents and brother will be guests of honour.

The team will also wear black ribbons on their kit in memory of him.

Head coach Rob Paternostro said: "It's an absolute tragedy and we are all devastated, particularly for his family.

"Kris did a fantastic job with our players last season.

"He was a valued member of our staff and was instrumental in our success on the court, but what I will remember most was that he was one of the guys, someone who we all enjoyed being around. We will miss him hugely."

Kris's dad Peter said: "As a family we are devastated by the sudden passing of Kris.

"We take comfort from all the kind words and messages of condolence."

With Kris overseeing the players' preparation for games, Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders finished second to Newcastle Eagles in the British Basketball League, before narrowly losing to the same opponents in the play-off final.

It was Matt Harber, Riders' women's team coach. who spotted Kris's talent and recommended him to bosses.

"I can't even articulate how I feel about Kris's passing," he said. "All I know is that we were all so fortunate to have known him and to have had the opportunity to work with and get to know him.

"He offered so much to our programme and to me and he will be truly missed but never forgotten.

"He has made a permanent impact on our basketball programme and that will live on."

Kris also worked with Riders' Loughborough University programme and the team's apprentices in their Advanced Apprenticeship in Sport Excellence basketball programme at the town's Charnwood College.

Russell Levenston, Riders' general manager, said: "He fitted in and got on really well with all the guys, from the professionals right down to the student teams and schoolkids.

"His impact was massive and key to us enjoying the best year in our team's history.

"His sudden death has shocked and saddened everyone involved with the Riders.

"He achieved so much in such a short time and had so much more to offer – his legacy will live on with the club."

Phil Gleadell, head of PE at Charnwood College and Riders' assistant coach, said: "Kris was a big hit with the young players. They are all very upset. He was such a professional but also a really nice bloke and genuine guy."

AMONG those lucky enough to meet Seb Coe today (October 12), on his visit to Loughborough College, were two of the city's primary school children. 

Caitlin Smart (10) and Paddy Kilgannon (10), from Stokes Wood school, shook his hand and told him how they had been touched by the Games, at an event organised by Inspire LeiceterShire. 

Games volunteers, torch bearers and even children who took part in the opening ceremony were also there for the Q and A session on the success of the London 2012 and building a lasting legacy for Leicestershire. 

After meeting Lord Coe, Caitlin said: "He was just amazing. He was really kind once you got to know him. I was really nervous waiting to speak to him."

Accompanying the children was teaching assistant Teresa Shearer and head teacher Jane Gadsby. 

Mrs Gadsby said: "It was an opportunity offered to the school. We have taken every opportunity presented to us on the back of the Games and it has just led to more.

"It's just a great thing for the children to be able to meet such an inspirational man."

During his two hour visit to the college Lord Coe personally thanked all of Leicestershire's games volunteers and torch bearers. 

He also said it was now up to them to take the legacy forward.

And he added: "I'm not sad the Games are over because the most inspirational part of the story is just about to unfold."