Described in some quarters as ‘Britain’s greatest ever athlete’, Coe helped catapult athletics into the nation’s consciousness with a series of awesome performances on the running track.

Winner of two Olympic gold medals in the 1500m, in 1980 and 1984, Coe also broke eight world records during a glittering career.

Coe turned to politics at the end of his athletics career

His world record mark of 1min 41.73sec, set in Oslo, in 1981, stood unbroken until 1997 - proof if ever it was needed that Coe was a very special athlete indeed.

Born in Chiswick, London in 1956, Coe was raised in Sheffield and began his running career when he joined Hallamshire Harriers at the age of 12.

Success quickly followed, and such was Coe’s obvious talent, his father Peter predicted in 1973 that his then teenage son would break the 1500m record by 1980.

In fact, Coe exceeded even his father’s expectations by smashing three world records, including the 1500m, in the space of 41 days in 1979.

After retiring from the sport in 1989, Coe pursued a political career, becoming the Conservative MP for Falmouth and Camborne in 1992.

Now a peer in the House of Lords, Coe’s legacy - along with fellow athletes Steve Ovett and Steve Cram - remains.

It is a hard act to follow.