An inspiring leader with the world famous SportsAble charity has died.

Nick Gibbs, 62, of Cherry Garden Lane, Maidenhead, joined the Braywick Road charity in 1998 along with his wife Gill and daughters Fiona and Kirsten.

They were keen table tennis players and soon became valuable able bodied volunteers and fundraisers at events such as the annual wheelchair push.

In 2009 Mr Gibbs became SportsAble's sports manager.

He died on Tuesday last week after a short battle with kidney cancer.

Melissa Spaulding from the charity said: "He was a great believer in competitive sports and initiated fantastic annual Grands Prix in table tennis and air weapons. People came from all over the UK to compete in these excellently organised competitions that gave local sports stars the chance to compete alongside visiting Paralympians.

"Many of the pieces of community work that Nick put into place with schools, with Get Berkshire Active and other disability groups are still thriving today. So many lives have been touched – and will continue to be – by his passion for disability sport."

Mr Gibbs worked closely with SportsAble’s chairman Vivienne Davies on the charity’s larger projects and events, most notably the annual awards dinner.

She said: " I can’t remember a time when Nick wasn’t at SportsAble. Every memory of SportsAble that I have includes him. He worked so hard for such a long time. That’s what made him a very special person."

Seven years ago he helped to create and run with his wife Gill the monthly ‘have a go’ new age kurling sessions at SportsAble that saw disabled children and their families come from all over the south east to enjoy sports together.

He retired as sports manager in 2015 and took the opportunity to travel widely with his wife. He leaves his wife and daughters, three grandchildren and his mother Millie.

His funeral is on Wednesday, January 17 at 11am at St John the Evangelist Church, Bath Road, Littlewick Green and Reading Crematorium at 12.15pm followed by a celebration of his life at the SportsAble clubhouse in Braywick Road.