Frank looks back on a lifetime of cycling

And he has just been handed the 'clubman of the year' award at Wolverhampton Racing Cycling Club.

Frank, of Sedgley, still cycles at least 85 miles a week and helps organise events throughout the year.

Though he admits the days when he competed against Hugh Porter seem like a lifetime ago, he has no intention of locking away his bike for good.

He says the racing club is still a major part of his existence and fellow members are among his best friends.

Frank spent hours travelling on a bike each day while working as a plumber for Curtis's in Wolverhampton - and soon caught the cycling bug.

He found out about the racing club during his regular visits to Frank Clements's bike shop in Snow Hill in the city.

And he says the Sunday morning he met members for the first time on a ride starting opposite the Odeon in Skinner Street changed his life.

He said: "Everyone was so friendly and I knew that this was what I wanted to do.

"I think a lot of people today are put off by the cost but you don't need an expensive bike. It's all about the freedom - you can do what you want and you get to see different parts of the country."

Although he now mainly takes part in rides through the countryside - with the Outer Hebrides being a recent highlight - Frank was once one of the top road racers at the club.

He won grand prix in Gornal in 1957 and Woden in 1958, along with races in Meriden and Swadlincote.

But as he got older, though his success in competitions waned his enthusiasm for cycling remained stronger than ever.

And he still attends meetings every Monday night and gets involved in the running of the club. He is also on hand to serve tea and cake to members at meetings and events, and passes on advice to younger riders.

His wife Penny was once a keen cyclist but was forced to give up due to arthritis.

But Frank hopes to keep going for years yet and is proud that the club is still attracting new members.

He said: "I go out cycling three times a week, and it's great to get back and have a coffee with the others.

"It's not just a cycling club, it's a meeting centre as well. There are people of all different levels and abilities, and now I mainly focus on tours with some of the older members."

The club was responsible for the first road race in Britain, from Llangollen to Wolverhampton in 1942.

And Frank's subsequent rise through ranks saw him come up against Hugh Porter during his time at the rival Wolverhampton Wheelers club.

Hugh went on to win four gold medals for Great Britain as a professional rider, while Frank continued as a self-employed plumber.

But he has no regrets and instead insists he feels lucky to have been part of a club that played such an important role in cycling history.