Lostock Athletics Club is still going strong 29 years after its founders – a group of British Aerospace workers – entered the first Bolton Marathon.

The club continued to thrive even after the great marathon boom of the 1980s subsided and the Lostock Aerospace factory closed.

Chairman John Smith was one of the first members of what is predominently a road, cross country and fell running club boasting 50 members with a strong emphasis on participation and social interaction.

Another founding athlete was the current Bolton mayor Cllr John Byrne who has pledged to take part in the club’s biggest event – the Lostock 6 road race, which takes place on the last Sunday in February and attracts more than 300 entries each year.

“I know the mayor is into cycling. He’s told me he wants to do the Lostock 6, so I’m going to put some pressure on him,” joked Smith.

Members now meet every Wednesday at 6.45pm at Horwich Leisure Centre before being split into ability groups to run over the Rivington fells.

“It’s a perfect location for our club,” said Smith. “The terrain is superb for both the beginner and the experienced runner.”

Another event is the 5.9-mile Henderson’s End event which starts and finishes at Rivington Top Barn and takes in the famous Scotsman’s Stump – named after George Henderson – on Winter Hill on the first Thursday in June.

The next event for Lostock AC is the club’s own fell race which takes place, once again, from Rivington Top Barn on Wednesday, August 25, starting at 7pm.

But before that the club goes on its annual camp on the weekend of Friday/Saturday, August 20 and 21 at the Wheatsheaf Campsite in Lorton, near Keswick.

“We never imagined all those years ago we would still be going now,” said Smith. “But its a great club for anyone who wants to get and stay fit.”

Anyone interested in joining Lostock AC can visit online at www.lostockac.co.uk