ONE bus driver is taking the health of his colleagues into his own hands by creating a new running club after becoming tired of their fitness complaints.

Bill Hanlon, 56, has been driving buses for 25 years and is leading the charge for fitness at Bolton's bus depot.

The First Bus driver from Westhoughton is taking action after hearing his fellow colleagues' complain about not being able to lose weight.

Mr Hanlon said: "It's quite a sedentary job, you're sat down driving most of the day and you don't get a lot of exercise.

"People would come up to me and say "I need to get fit" or "I'd like to lose some weight", but they would never do anything about it.

"They see the running I do and they say I need to do something like that and that's how this idea came about.

"I thought, let's actually do something about it and get people healthier!"

Mr Hanlon says that running changed his life and now he wants to help others do the same.

He has since become a keen runner, winning medals for a variety of distances and even completing the Blackpool 10k in fancy dress and a wig.

He said: "I lost three stone when I started running. It's made a big impact on my life, I want to help other people."

Mr Hanlon has been helped in organising the running sessions for bus drivers by his colleague and fellow runner, Tracy Farrell.

Tomorrow evening will see their next run and Mr Hanlon is encouraging one and all to come along to their simple, short route.

He said: "I have done three runs now. My idea was just for the First Bus depot, but the more the merrier! It's always better to do it with other people."

He added: "It is a relaxed club, there's no pressure. We're not expecting Mo Farahs!

"It's for all levels of abilities, we run a no man gets left behind policy — I'll be running as quick as the slowest person."

The group will meet tomorrow at 6.30pm at the Bolton bus depot in Weston Street.