Tributes have been paid to a 25-year-old trainee teacher who collapsed and died while taking part in the Norwich half-marathon yesterday.

Phillip Goillau was training to be an IT teacher at Notre Dame High School in Norwich and students have been among the friends and family members paying tribute to him today.

Students at Notre Dame said in an email to the Evening News: 'We called him Mr G, he was our trainee ICT teacher. He was so nice and a really good teacher and now he's gone everyone at Notre Dame misses him. Many of us have prayed in the chapel in our respect to Mr G. You are greatly missed, love from the students.'

Mr Goillau took part in the 13-mile run with a friend but collapsed around the 10-mile mark, and lost consciousness for unknown reasons.

He never regained consciousness and was subsequently pronounced dead at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Friend Richard Timm, who lives just outside Norwich, said: 'It's such a tragic loss. I would just echo what everybody else is saying. Everyone had a good word to say about him.

'He did not have health issues, to my knowledge. He was in perfect health and was an athletic young man.'

The race director Hugh McGill said that Mr Goillau collapsed during the race, which was held between 11am and 2pm, near Easton College. He was treated at the scene by paramedics from crews based at the college, before being taken to the N&N.

Meanwhile, Daniel Ingman said on Mr Goillau's Facebook page: 'A true friend, great guy and will be missed by many. I'm totally gutted but was an honour to be your mate.'

Mr Goillau grew up in Dereham and attended the town's Northgate High School and then Dereham Sixth Form College.