A tribute to our man Nas

SUNDAY MIRROR SPORT has lost one of its finest.

Nasser Hashmi was a sports sub with us for more than 15 years.

Two weeks ago, Nas (below) was taken ill, after being admitted to hospital with a lung infection and, sadly, passed away not long after. A top-class journalist and universally liked, he was just 47.

Born in Rochdale, Nas was also an author who had four novels published and another recently completed and sent to the publishers. Last year, he was long-listed for the Bath Novel Prize and was Film Critic of the Year in 2001.

Our thoughts are with his wife Shabina and their children Liyana, 12, and Mikail, nine, who is a sports enthusiast just like his dad.