AN air force base sports hall has been renamed in honour of a Stourbridge RAF fitness instructor – ten years after his tragic death in a road crash.

Former Royal Marine Mark Farrington’s life was cut short a decade ago as he was cycling in North Wales just a month after graduating to become a physical training instructor with the RAF.

The 34-year-old, a popular character in Stourbridge having worked at gyms in the area as a personal trainer, was knocked off his bike on the A55 at Bangor by a car.

He had only recently relocated to RAF Valley at Anglesey when he lost his life but such was his popularity that the sports hall at the base has now been dedicated to him as a tribute.

His mum Margaret and sister Louise and niece Georgie attended a re-naming ceremony at what's now known as The Farrington Sports Hall, and later told of how proud they were to see Mark honoured ten years after his untimely death.

Margaret said the event was all the more poignant as Mark’s father Tim died suddenly last November – after suffering a heart attack while cycling to work.

She said: “Tim would have loved this. It was a nice day and very emotional. We're very proud."

A trophy is also issued in Mark's memory three times a year to the most valued recruit on the basic PTI training course at RAF Cosford where Mark completed his training.