Athletics awaits starting gun to continue proud history in Blackpool Wyre and Fylde

No competitive races or events can take place at any level of the sport until the end of next month at the earliest, though informal runs in small groups are now taking place.

Nick Hume, secretary of Blackpool Wyre and Fylde AC, told The Gazette: “Coaches have set sessions online but there are no formal training sessions yet, though clubs are starting to think about them.

“People are now allowed to go for runs in groups of no more than six as long as they observe social-distancing.

“ Coaches have been able to do some one-on-ones with junior athletes as long as parent are there.

“We are defining our risk assessments and look forward to starting training sessions with guidance from the Government and England Athletics.”

The lockdown has been a time for reflecting on club history and Nick kindly delved into the past for us.

He added: “There has been a least one athletic club in Blackpool since 1894, when Blackpool Harriers was established. There was also a short-lived club called Blackpool and Fylde Athletic Club from 1894-95 as the area probably was not large enough to support two clubs.

“Then on January 31 1929 Blackpool and Fylde Harriers Athletic Club was established and continued until November 1955, when two clubs merged to form Blackpool and Fylde Athletic Club (BFAC).

“Then in 2005 BFAC approached the younger North Fylde AC with a view to a merger and in 2006 Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde AC (BWF AC) was born.

This is the club which operates from the track at Stanley Park to this day.

The president of the club in 1929 was Sir A Lindsay Parkinson JP and the chairman was Councillor Quayle, after whom the Blackpool Council sports awards are named.

Club membership for under-18s was two shillings sixpence (12½p) and for seniors four shillings (20p). The 39 vice-presidents had to pay 10 shillings and sixpence (55p) for the privilege. The club’s headquarters were at the Blackpool Gymnasium on Central Drive.