OLYMPICS supremo and former gold medallist, Lord Sebastian Coe, visited St Albans last week to lend his support to young sportsmen and women who hope to tour the UK and overseas. He was guest of honour at St Albans School s 17th sports tours dinner held a

OLYMPICS supremo and former gold medallist, Lord Sebastian Coe, visited St Albans last week to lend his support to young sportsmen and women who hope to tour the UK and overseas.

He was guest of honour at St Albans School's 17th sports tours dinner held at the Woollams pavilion in Harpenden Road.

Lord Coe spoke humorously about his experiences in the worlds of athletics, politics and the arrangements for the London Games in 2012.

With him on the evening was race director for the London Marathon, David Bedford, whose son Tom was a successful runner for the school. The two men shared a number of reminiscences.

Other speakers were football commentator and journalist Gary Newbon and rugby international Martin Bayfield who delivered an enormously funny speech about international rugby and touring.

About 400 guests went along on the evening and gave the speakers standing ovations as well as bidding in the auction. The top item was an England running shirt signed by Steve Ovett, Steve Cram and Sebastian Coe, which attracted a final bid of �1,700.

Since its inception in 1993, the sports tours committee has raised more than �447,000 sending 1,300 pupils on sports tours around Great Britain and the world.