A CLIMBER, potholer, daredevil and self-confessed adrenaline junkie has written his life story.

Jim Penny, who is now 77 and next year celebrates 60 years of marriage to Irene, has penned an autobiography as a record of his work, family and extreme exploits, for his grandchildren and future generations.

A former trainer at Mullard’s, Simonstone, Jim, who lives in Padiham, tells of living life to the full — and cheating death on numerous occasions — while supporting his much loved family.

He’s squirrelled underground, scaled lofty peaks (where he was once struck by lightening) pounded marathons, abseiled, sail boarded and owned a motor cycle.

He came to live in Burnley, during the war years, in 1943, when he was nine and recalls that the air raid shelter of the house in Cog Lane was also the coal place and outside toilet.

He attended St Mary Magdalene’s school, which he found ‘boring’ but livened up at lunchtime by skinny dipping in the canal at Gannow bridge!

His first taste of climbing was squeezing through the window at the local picture house and letting his mates in via the fire door.

Working a paper round he also got a job at Jenny’s pie shop in Burnley Road, peeling potatoes in the back yard and being paid with a plateful of tatty pie and peas, a couple of coppers and handful of fag ends from the ash tray.

A good work ethic came from his parents, as his dad worked at a fish stall in Burnley market from early morning, then went on to do a late shift at Hapton Valley pit where he was a ripper, making roadways.

His mum was also a singer and was billed as clubland’s Vera Lynne.

Jim’s first job was at Pemberton’s loom makers in Trafalgar Street, and later he had spells in the mines and signed up in the army, before moving to Mullards.

As a young teenager his social life centred round the rec and dancing at the Arcadian, Weaver’s and Jimmy’s ballrooms, before he met the girl who changed his life.

Irene was a dark-haired, blue-eyed beauty, and after marrying young, the couple went on to have three children, Roy, Mark and daughter, Thayne.

Throughout it all Jim continued his enthusiasm for adventure, climbing in the Dolomites, exploring potholes, and joining the local sub aqua club.

He’s run the Three Peaks race, bungee jumped from the viaduct in Read and was the first to explore to the bottom of Pen-y-Ghent pot alone, when it was the known deepest pot hole in Britain and usually needed the strength of eight men to carry equipment down its 12 vertical shafts.

He’s also ice climbed in the Cliviger valley and Glen Coe, scaled Malham Cove on a single wire and been white water rafting.

Then, six years ago, in appreciation of Irene’s support, he climbed to the top of a Padiham mill chimney and declared his love on Valentine’s Day!

Adrenaline Junkie, £8, is available from Jim (01282 774551), or Lancashire Lad Collectables, Burnley Market.