Oldham raises the flag

COMMONWEALTH champion Diane Modahl helped raised the Olympic flag in Oldham, watched by civic leaders.

The Manchester-born sports star, who scooped Gold in the 800m at the 1990 commonwealth games, turned up for a special fun run in Alexandra Park.

Local people were encouraged to run, jog or walk the 800m course around the park at the free event yesterday afternoon.

The route was planned by Oldham Community Leisure, Oldham Council and the Oldham Community Health Services.

Families from the Mind Exercise Nutrition Do it (MEND) programme also got involved.

Everyone who took part was awarded a medal and certificate of achievement.

Once the fun run was over, the sporting theme continued with Diane Modahl raising the visiting London 2012 Olympics flag at Oldham Civic Centre to mark the hand-over from Beijing.

The ceremony was also attended by Dorothy Shirley-Emerson, who scooped the Silver medal for high jump at the Rome Olympics of 1960, who also helped raise the flag.

John Dwan, managing director of Sport4Life, which organised the event on behalf of national sports charity StreetGames and Community 1st Oldham, said: “The Run 4 Fun event was kept completely free to enter and open to all ages in order to really encourage families and groups of friends to take part.”