A 23-YEAR-OLD council electrician electrocuted at work was a promising boxer, it emerged today.

Richard Hardgrave had recently qualified as an electrician and was working for Bolton at Home -- the organisation that manages the council's housing stock -- when the accident happened at midday on Tuesday.

He and two colleagues were working on the mains supply at a warden-controlled council flat in Oak Avenue, Horwich, when it is thought Mr Hardgrave was electrocuted by a live wire.

He had regularly used the gym and attended boxing classes at Bolton Lads and Girls Club for over a year. The club's head boxing coach, John Hart, said he had a promising future ahead of him.

Mr Hart, an English advanced boxing coach, said: "He just did it as a hobby, but Richard was good. He was fit and worked hard and I had high hopes for him."

A spokesman for Bolton at Home said: "We are working with other agencies in investigating the circumstances of the death." Mr Hardgrave, who had lived in Mellor Grove, Heaton, all his life, enjoyed keeping fit.

A full investigation into Mr Hardgrave's death is underway and the Health and Safety Executive have launched an inquiry. A postmortem examination was due to be carried out today. The coroner has been informed.

"I noticed him when we moved premises last summer and as he was developing quickly I moved him up from the learners' group to the more advanced class.

"He was a well-liked lad and got on well with everybody."

Mr Hardgrave's father, Michael, was too upset to speak about his son yesterday.