POLICE officer Martin Taylor will be under surveillance when he takes on Bolton’s Ironman UK.

The Horwich copper is using technology used to catch criminals as he attempts to complete the exhausting course tomorrow.

Taylor will fit himself with a tracking device, normally used to follow stolen cars, so his friends and family can keep check on his progress.

“I’ve fitted a tracker to my bike so people can follow me and I’ll also have it in my hand when I’m running,” said the 36-year-old sargeant.

“We normally use them on cars so we can see what criminals are doing and where they are.

“I just thought it would be a good idea so people don’t have to spend all day wondering where I am.

“Now all they’ll have to do is put my details into a website and they can follow me on their computer or mobile phone.”

Taylor, who grew up in Astley Bridge, has never attempted anything like the Ironman, now in its third year in Bolton, before.

And he is not concerned if he looks like PC Plod during the energysapping event.

“I don’t care what time I do it in – I just want to get round,” said the father-of-two.

“It’s a massive motivation with it being on my home turf and I actually run past my house. I just hope I’m not too tempted to pack it in and go home. Even though I’m not very sporty there were several reasons why I wanted to do it.

“My dad, David, was disabled but made me cycle a long time ago and I want to do it for him.

“I also wanted to raise money for The Christie hospital, particularly the treatment of children with cancer.

“I have two healthy children myself but I know many who have been affected by it.

“The third reason is to stick two fingers up to all my colleagues at work who said I couldn’t do it. I just hope they’re not right.”

If you want to follow Taylor’s progress, go to gps.redwebsecurity.com.

His username and password is ironman.