COUNCIL and NHS staff swapped helping others for helping themselves when they took up some healthy activities of their own.

Employees from the Royal Bolton Hospital — including three chaplains — the Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group and the public health department at Bolton Council took part in a fun triathlon.

There was a swim at Horwich Leisure Centre and a 25km bike loop around Horwich before a three lap, 5km run at Old Station Park.

Cllr Kevin McKeon, Bolton Council cabinet member for public health said: “The fun triathlon started out as an event for NHS staff but when the public health team transferred to the council, it was opened up to employees from both organisations.

“It’s been a huge success since it started in 2012 and is a great opportunity for us to encourage staff to be more active.

“The emphasis is on fun for this event, and participants are fortunate in that lots of family and friends turned up to cheer them on, plus there were lots of other attractions and refreshments available for spectators.”

This year 87 teams of three people and 170 individual competitors took part in the event.

Neil Raby was the first Bolton Council employee over the finish line and Mike Cornes, from the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital was victorious in the NHS section.