TRIBUTES have been paid to a charity fundraiser found dead in a remote quarry.

Keen cyclist James Hall, aged 82, went missing on Sunday morning and was found later the same day at the foot of the rockface at Cox Green Quarry off Cox Green Road in Egerton.

Mr Hall had last been seen leaving his Egerton home at 10am that day dressed in walking gear.

Mr Hall, better known to friends as Jim, was married to Sandra with whom he had two grown-up sons.

He was well known around Bolton as a patron of Bolton Lads and Girls Club and as chairman of the Turton fundraising committee of Cancer Research UK.

Mark Brocklehurst, a trustee and board member of Bolton Lads and Girls Club, said: "We're just completely shocked. It's been non-stop all day on the phone talking to people whose lives he touched.

"Everybody just can't believe he's not here."

Mr Hall, a retired structural engineer who used to work for Bury-based steelmaker William Hare, competed in track and road cycling and finished many sponsored cycle routes and long distance hikes.

He walked from Lands End to John o' Groats in 21 days in 1995 and later became involved with the Land's End to John o' Groats Association.

During his 20 year association with Bolton Lads and Girls Club he helped organise fundraising cycle tours including last year's trip through the Alps from Geneva to Nice where he drove the support van, advised on cycling and assisted with training and logistics.

Mr Brocklehurst added: "He was fit and healthy and very mobile. While he was 82, he was not your average 82-year-old."

Cancer Research UK's local fundraising manager for Bolton, Jack Leetch, said: "We were shocked and saddened to hear about Jim Hall’s death.

"Jim was chairman of the Turton local fundraising committee and helped to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for Cancer Research UK.

"He was extremely conscientious in his role as chairman and despite being involved with the committee for more than 20 years, he was always keen to find new ways to help the charity raise money.

"Jim was very modest about his achievements and never expected a thank you.

"His loss will be felt greatly by the members of the committee and the local community where he was well known and held in high regard."

Inspector Wayne Readfern, of Bolton North Integrated Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "The body of a male was discovered in the early hours of the morning in Cox Green Road, Egerton.

"Formal identification has been conducted this morning and the male confirmed to be James Hall.

"There are no suspicious circumstances.

"Our thoughts are with the family of James at this time."

Bolton Mountain Rescue Team located and recovered Mr Hall's body from the quarry.

Team leader Garry Rhodes said: "Twenty of us were involved. We were contacted by police at 10.20pm and we arrived at the quarry at 11.30pm to meet police response officers and very quickly after that unfortunately we found the man's body at the bottom of the rockface.

"Our members managed to cope with what was a difficult situation."