Talented athlete Cyril competed for Sutton Harriers as a youngster and then moved onto Birchfield Harriers where he dominated middle distance running in the Midlands for 10 years.

Cyril competed in the 1,500m at 1924 Olympics Games in Paris and 1928 Amsterdam Olympics finishing fifth in the latter event behind famous Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi.

As well as his Olympic success, Cyril –– who grew up in Warsop –– won three successive AAA mile titles and won the 880 yards eight times and the mile six times at the Midland Championships between 1925 and 1933.

His UK record for 1,000m in 1927 was followed in 1929 by a world record for 1,000 yards in a specially paced handicap event.

After a successful career in athletics, Cyril moved to Colchester where he became sports editor of the local paper and was also the secretary of Chelmsford's Marconi Social and Athletic Club.

And following the success of Mansfield's golden girl Rebecca Adlington in this year's Olympics, Jack says his uncle's achievement should not be forgotten.

"They were all amateurs in the days when my Uncle Cyril ran –– he would have to go to work on a Friday before a big race on Saturday," he told Chad.

"But he was a marvellous athlete who always pulled a big crowd when he ran locally and I'm very proud of what he achieved.

"Although I only saw him towards the end of his career, he was still a damn good athlete and was very well known in the local area.

"I used to go and clean his medals every Saturday morning, it took a while because he had so many."