WHAT do tired athletes need at the top of the most notoriously draining part of Bolton's IronmanUK course?

Five dancing men in fancy dress and masks cheering them on, of course!

Every year for the past five years that's been the scene that has met Ironman cyclists at the summit of Sheephouse Lane.

Nobody knows the identity of the masked men but they have become a loud and fun feature of IronmanUK over the last five years.

Known only as the Sheephouse Lane Fancy Dress Party the colourful crew get into position overnight, set up their camper van and music and wait to give the athletes support when they need it most.

So who are they?

The Bolton News tracked them down and found out as much as they were willing to reveal.

"We like to keep it anonymous," said one of the five super supporters. "We like the fact there's a little bit of mysteriousness about it, that's why we wear masks.

"Most of us are based in Birmingham and two are based in York.

"We're keeping the Mexican wrestling theme we had last year and we've got speakers and we just look to have a good time and support the athletes.

"This is the fifth year we've been up there and we'll continue doing it as long as the Ironman is in Bolton.

"This year we've got a woman and her two kids joining us. She's the wife of the guy in the Big Daddy outfit last year.

"She did the Ironman last year and he's doing it this year.

"We've all done IronmanUK in the past – some of us more than once – and the five men are doing the Ironman in Copenhagen on August 21.

"We started doing this in Bolton when one of the guys said they wished there was someone at the top of Sheephouse Lane helping them with some support so we decided to do it.

"The road is closed off so we go super early to the same spot every year. We just enjoy watching the race.

"We have been doing triathlons for more than 10 years and it's nice to give support.

"We've got a Facebook page and people comment on that but ultimately it's not complicated, it's just fun and nothing else.

"We all love doing it and I think the riders really appreciate having someone to focus on up there."