THE son of two Bury ex-pats is back in town, sampling all the delights of a sporting summer holiday.

Kevin O'Byrne and his wife Gillian emigrated to Canada 19 years ago and now live at Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

Their 12-year-old son, Ian, is staying with his grandparents, former Bury Times employee Mr George Hamer, 80, and his wife Veronica, 82, at Nelson Street in Bury.

Ian is in town with his mother and brother Warren, 14, for a one-month vacation. Warren is a competitive and accomplished athlete, putting his powerful frame to good use on the rugby field and, unlike Ian, focusing closely on just one sport.

Kevin, 45, went to Canada as a mechanic but is now a car salesman, and he stayed at home due to work commitments.

Ian's parents were born locally and shared a common interest, training at Bury and Radcliffe Athletic Club. Both ran for Lancashire schools and later represented the county at senior level.

More than two decades later, Ian has followed in their footsteps by running at the Bury club track in Wellington Road. He has inherited their talent and is a school champion.

An all-rounder, he will have seen or played football, golf and tennis before he leaves Bury. This is not to forget his running - or the time he spent riding at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester. Anyone claiming to be dedicated to sport should meet this lad and think again!

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.