RAF technician Andrew Hughes is a real flyer . . . on the running track, writes STEVE BOTT.

The former St Gabriel's High School pupil only started running five years ago at the age of 27, but he has been RAF champion at 100m and 200m for the last six years and is now on course for a Commonwealth Games call-up in Manchester in 2002.

Andrew, who lived in Radcliffe and Sunnybank as a youngster, is now based at RAF Bentley Priory near Watford and works as an IT technician.

He played football as a youngster, centre forward being his position, and had a spell with Radcliffe Borough.

He continued playing soccer after joining the RAF following further education at Holy Cross College in Bury and Bolton Tech.

"I was always quite quick on the football field, but I grew tired of playing when it became a bit clique in the RAF," said Andrew, who also attended St Peter's Primary School in Whitefield Road, Bury.

"Someone asked why didn't I go down and have a go on the running track, so I did and was beaten by the then current RAF champion by only two tenths of a second in my first race."

Since then Andrew has dominated the RAF championships and recently added the European Air Forces 100m championship to his list of honours when he ran his fastest ever time of 10.57secs in Berlin, beating the previous record of 10.59.

Now Andrew, who is also a club runner with Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers and featured on BBC TV's Grandstand programme in an inter-club competition, is gearing up for the Amateur Athletics Association Championships at Birmingham's Alexandra Stadium in mid-August. He also retained his RAF titles at RAF Cosford on Wednesday, clocking 10.09 in the 100 metres.

"I am already a second faster than anyone else in the RAF, so I am was pretty confident about Cosford," said Andrew.

He is also off to the Falklands in September for four months, but Andrew isn't too bothered as he says: "The training facilities are excellent and I will be coming back in good shape for next year.

"The down side is that I will be away for Christmas and I will also miss my five-year-old daughter Emily's birthday in November."

If he does make it to the Commonwealth Games, Andrew will only have one regret . . . that he didn't start running earlier.

"When you think of the exotic locations the Commonwealth Games have been held in over the years, such as Kuala Lumpur and Sydney, and now I am in with a chance they will back where I come from in Manchester," he said.

And, what's more Andrew, it will probably be raining too!