BURNDEN Road Runners celebrated their 30th anniversary by running a relay from Bolton to Blackpool at the weekend.

A huge gathering of 74 club members ran in stages all the way from the Macron Stadium to the seafront at Blackpool, hopping on and off a bus as and when they wanted.

The unique event – the brainchild of club member Dave Pearson – began when a small band of members including Andy Staveley, Paul Christie, Martin Whalley, Don Nichol, Lee White, Mark Butler, Martyn Pollitt and Chris Greenall set off from the club’s spiritual home, the site of the old Bolton Wanderers Burnden Park ground, to the Macron home of Bolton Wanderers where they joined other members for a mass start.

Whalley went on to run every stage, covering the 42 miles despite carrying an ankle injury. Keith Thomas ran every leg from the Macron, a total of 36 miles.

Reb Teyve came agonisingly close to completing the full distance too, but an injury briefly interrupted his attempt. He still ran just under 33 miles. Over the course of the journey, all members who took part ended up running far further than they planned.

The group included Gretta Rainford and ex-chairman Mel Hatchman, two Burnden Road Runners from the early days of the club, which was formed in 1985 following a challenge laid down to then Wanderers manager John McGovern two years earlier.

In 1983, former international athlete Vince Regan approached McGovern to run in Bolton’s Adidas British Marathon. McGovern rose to the challenge and invited others to join him.

Some of the group stayed together and in 1985, it became a fully-fledged athletics club. The Roadrunners name was inspired by one of its early members who was renowned for his participation in events dressed as the cartoon character complete with feathered tail and klaxon blaring.

As well as recognising the past, the club also got a glimpse of some future Burnden stars. Liam Sullavan, aged six, did marathon mum Kelly proud as he ran 4.2miles, including two full one-mile stages, a distance matched by Nicola Hardy’s boys George, aged five, and Thomas, aged seven.

Four-year-old Josh Eccleston put in a great effort to complete three miles. His mum Melissa and Nicola were obviously inspired by their youngsters’ efforts – Melissa ran over 13 miles for the first time and Nicola was able to complete half the entire route.

Members who took part were: Carolyn Barker, Dave Beevers, Sue Booth, Ann Butler, Mark Butler, Paul Christie, Iain Connor, Alec Cottrill, Sally Cottrill, Neil Critchley, Paul Duke, Melissa Eccleston, Josh Eccleston, Lesley Fisher, Jane Forrest, Tony Foster, Louise Geoghegan, Chris Greenall, John Hall, Ann Hardman, Nicola Hardy, George Hardy, Thomas Hardy, Edith Haslam, Eric Haslam, Mel Hatchman, Bill Kelly, Gwen Kinloch, Rita Ledwards, Gillian McGowan, Rebecca Martin, Diane Morrison, Julie Newton, Leanne Newton, Don Nichol, Kirsty Normanton, Colm O’Brien, Jackie Oakes, George Ogden, Mandy Ogden, Mumtaz Patel, Dave Pearson, Cloe Pearson, Craig Philpot, Martyn Pollitt, Ian Pudge, Gretta Rainford, Steve Riddle, Colin Rigby, Susan Rushton, Jessica Sammon, Brenda Sedgwick, Paul Sedgwick, Helen Shan, Rob Short, Andy Staveley, Shirley Staveley, Kelly Sullavan, Liam Sullivan, Lauren Swallow, Karen Taylor, Marcus Taylor, Reb Teyve, Sam Teyve, Chelsea Teyve, Tyler Teyve, Keith Thomas, Louise Wall, Tony Wall, Andy Warburton, Martin Whalley, Lee White, Peter Whiteside, Sue Williams.