Proud as punch

OUR hero . . . Frank Nightingale with young boxers, from left, (left to right) Bradley Clegg, Jack Rafferty, Lewis Littler, Kurt Johnston and Alex Smith

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A BOXING coach who carried on teaching youngsters while battling cancer has been nominated for a Pride in Oldham award.

Frank Nightingale, of Failsworth, has continued to coach at Failsworth Amateur Boxing Club nearly every week, despite his illness, to give youngsters a better start in life.

Pupils Shay and Declan O’Connor who made the nomination said: “Frank is a good trainer who makes us work hard.

“But he also makes it fun because he loves doing it and rain or shine he is always there before anyone else.

“He has not been very well recently. But he is a really good man with a heart of gold.”

Boys, and occasionally, girls had been coming to the club for five years.

There around 30 young boxers aged from 10 upwards.

Frank, himself a former boxer, is partially deaf, and was unable to describe his activities.

However his wife, Pat, said: “Sometimes the boys are quite timid and the boxing helps give them confidence.

“We are trying to get youngsters off the streets and give them a couple of hours activity in the evening.

“But, for the last 12 months, Frank has been battling cancer but now he is over it. He has a lot of courage and strength.

“He carried on going to the club almost every week with me just filling in when it was impossible for him to get there.”

To nominate someone for a Pride in Oldham award, fill in and return the nomination form, right.