A leading business figure who helped raise tens of millions of pounds for charity has been killed in a car crash.

Nicholas Corah, 78, died yesterday while travelling back to Leicestershire to support some of the many good causes in which he was involved.

Mr Corah, who retired to Norfolk three years ago, had been the major force behind a number of key projects in the county, including the creation of the Conkers visitors centre and a 1,000-acre forest park on derelict land in Moira.

He had been chairman of textile firm Corah, in Burleys Way, Leicester, for 20 years.

Stephen Woolfe, of Skeffington, took over from Mr Corah as chairman of the Heart of the National Forest Foundation, which runs Conkers.

He said: "He had done so much. "I'm not sure Leicestershire would have been the same place without the work he has done here."

Mr Corah, who had lived in Wakerley, near Oakham, before moving to Kings Lynn, is credited with almost single-handedly raising the £20 million to get the Conkers and forest scheme off the ground.

He also headed a fund-raising team which secured £13 million for the University of Leicester.

Mr Woolfe said: "He had a major influence on the business, public and voluntary sectors in the county.

"He moved to Norfolk about three years ago and, typical of him, he immediately got involved trying to raise money for a hospice there.

"The fact he was on his way to do charity work typifies him. "Since he retired to Norfolk he has come back to Leicestershire on a regular basis.

"There's lots of people who will have never come across anybody like him."

Friend and former business associate Adrian Weston, of Smeeton Westerby, said: "He was a great fundraiser and was very active. He contributed pretty richly to the business and voluntary sectors of Leicestershire. It's a big shame."

Mr Corah was chairman of Corah for 20 years until 1989, the fourth generation of his family to run the business.

Founded in the 1820s, the company supplied Marks & Spencer and was one of the city's biggest employers.

Mr Corah was founding chairman of Leicestershire Cares, an initiative which sees major companies provide staff to carry out charitable work.

He was the last High Sheriff of the merged county of Leicestershire and Rutland, as well as a deputy lieutenant of Leicestershire and then Rutland.

The maroon BMW he was driving was involved in a collision with a white Scania articulated lorry in Whitwell Road, in Empingham, in Rutland, at about 9.15am yesterday.

Leicestershire Police is appealing for anyone who saw the collision to call 0116 222 2222.