My 16 years as Sir Mark Prescott's neighbour - and the mark it left on my son

Patrick Gilligan, a former trainer now living in the United States, pays tribute to the Heath House team he came to know very well

My son Jack was stood behind the front door, fixing me with his eyes. We had seen William Butler walking towards our house through our living room window. We both headed towards that door for different reasons.

Willam told me how much everyone at Heath House had loved having Jack with them for a month's work experience and asked whether he would be interested in joining them as their apprentice when he shortly finished school. Jack, behind the door, started shaking his head furiously. "He'd love to," I said.