THREE years ago, Sir John Hall was named the North-East’s most inspirational figure. He took 30 per cent of the vote – more than twice that of runner- up Thomas Spencer, the man who co-founded Marks & Spencer.

It’s part of the legend surrounding Sir John that he was the son of a Geordie miner who followed his father down the pits, like so many others.

The reality is that he always had his sights set rather higher than working a seam of coal.

But it takes a special kind of vision to see how a power station ash dump could be transformed into Europe’s largest indoor retail development.

The 100-acre site in Dunston had a potential catchment area of three million people – and Sir John convinced enough potential investors to make his dream a reality.

The MetroCentre cost £70m to build.

Ten years later it was sold for £364m and it is now worth more than £1bn.

For even the most ambitious entrepreneur, the MetroCentre would have represented the culmination of their life’s work, but Sir John merely used its success as a springboard for even greater ambition.

He bought Newcastle United, brought back Kevin Keegan and bank-rolled a team that almost reached the very summit of the game.

So, it is with great sadness that we hear of Sir John’s battle with prostate cancer.

Ahead lies a gruelling course of drugs and radiotherapy, but we know he will fight every step of the way.

We are certain that the whole region, and North-East expats across the world, wish him well.