THE brother-in-law of a York man killed in a motorbike crash has paid tribute to his memory by taking his place in the Great North Run.

Keen sports enthusiast Peter Orange, 23, of Rosedale Avenue, Acomb, died after a collision with a car as he rode a friend's motorcycle on the Malton to Buttercrambe road in July.

Peter, a keen rugby player who regularly took part in triathlons and duathlons, had planned to run in the North-East's famous half-marathon with his fiance Claire Thompson, 20, from Easingwold, to raise money for charity CLIC, Cancer and Leukaemia In Childhood.

So his sister Jane's husband, Chris Loftus, 31, from Woodthorpe, York, decided to take part in the event with Claire, in memory of Peter.

Chris, who works at Portasilo, in Huntington, completed the 13-mile course in one hour and 40 minutes and raised about £600 for the charity. Claire, who was running for the NSPCC, finished not long after Chris.

Peter's mother Joan said: "Chris hadn't been planning to do the Great North Run and had done no training at all, but he did it in virtually the same time as Peter had done the year before. We would like to thank him for running in Peter's memory."

The money he raised is being added to £720 already donated by those who attended Peter's funeral at York Crematorium and will be given to CLIC.

Updated: 10:50 Wednesday, October 03, 2001