A FITTING tribute has been paid to a Leominster man who dedicated more than 30 years to the town's youth.

A memorial plaque has been installed in the nut grove, close to the former Leominster Youth Centre, where Dereck Phillips gave up hours of his time to help the town's young people.

A welder by trade, Mr Phillips, known as Kumsha, took on a part-time job at the youth centre when he was about 30.

He broke his leg playing football and could no longer actively play so he decided to help young people by stepping in as a coach.

His daughter, Lorna Black, said: "He would do the coaching rather than playing because he missed it so much.

"He got paid for one evening a week but ended up being there at least two or three nights a week and every weekend as well.

"He wanted to give them something to do, something positive, and he enjoyed football so much as well."

Mr Phillips, an avid Arsenal fan, led an indoor football youth team to the national final for seven years running.

In 1982 the under-18s team became the national champions.

"He was just an absolutely brilliant bloke and if it wasn't for him, so many of the players could have gone the wrong way in life," said Mrs Black.

"A lot of them said, because they didn't have the money for the kit, he would buy it for them.

"He was a second father figure for a lot of them. He did it for not just one but lots and always made sure they all got home safely. He was just a great ambassador for the youth of the town.

"He loved helping the kids, he just wanted to help the youth of Leominster."

After retiring from his job as a welder, Mr Phillips took up a post as a caretaker at the Minster College to continue being able to support the town's youth.

He sadly died in April this year. He was married to Margaret and had two children, Lorna and Paul, four grandchildren, Zoe, Abigail, Josh and Charlotte and three great grandchildren, Ruby, Oscar and Emelia.