AN inspirational figure to generations of Bolton sportsmen has been decorated in the New Year's Honours List.

Life President of the Bolton Olympic Wrestling Club John Rigby has been awarded the MBE for services to wrestling.

Mr Rigby, aged 75, said: "Thinking back over all my years involved in wrestling there has been nothing greater than this. I am very proud and this is my happiest moment."

He added: "This honour is a reward for all the wrestlers I have worked with. They have all been brilliant."

Although Mr Rigby never personally won great honours wrestling he has trained eight young people from Bolton to compete at Olympic level.

During 50 years he trained more than 150 British schoolboy wrestling champions.

The MBE is not the first honour Mr Rigby, of Strawberry Hill Road, The Haulgh, has received. Last year he was awarded the Bolton Civic Medal by Bolton Council.

In 1961 he was given a bravery award for when he rescued two young children from a fire in Milton Street, Bolton.

A Bury-born woman who has become one of Britain's top nurses was today made a Dame.

Pauline Fielding, 53, is in charge of nursing at Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Dame Pauline started her career as a cadet nurse in Bury when she left school in 1961.

After qualifying in Bury she became a staff nurse in Manchester.

She then moved with her husband to Southampton.

Mrs Fielding, who now lives in Blackpool, said: "I was completely taken aback, and although I have done fairly well in my career, it wasn't something I was expecting at all."

In the world of sport England cricketer Angus Fraser, who was born and grew up in Astley, has been awarded the MBE.

And former Leigh Rugby League coach Alex Murphy was today awarded the OBE for services to rugby league. He coached Leigh to a Challenge Cup victory in 1971 and the Division One championship in 1982.

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