BLACKPOOL'S first scout is preparing to celebrate his 100th birthday.

John Wilkinson, who now lives in Mobberley, Knutsford, founded the Blackpool movement when he was 11.

In his remarkable life John was also balloted for a Victoria Cross in the First World War, and embarked on a brilliant medical career which led to him discovering the cure for pernicious anaemia - a disease which killed many people at the start of the 20th century.

Yet throughout it all the scout movement has remained close to his heart.

That passion was born in 1908 when a young John was shown a copy of Scouting For Boys by a local shopkeeper.

John read it from cover to cover and, fascinated, gathered his friends together to form the Lion Patrol - Blackpool's first scout movement.

The boys asked Frank Raynor - the shopkeeper who started them off - to be their scoutmaster.

Under Frank's supervision John led his patrol with great enthusiasm on a variety of adventures.

The boys learned signalling, radio transmitting, fishing, and searched for signs of smugglers.

Returning from war in 1919 he attended the first Scoutmaster' Training Course at Gilwell Park in the presence of Chief Scout Sir Robert Baden-Powell.

He also helped develop scouting in Albania until his medical career became too demanding in 1924.

In the years to follow John continued to involve himself in the scouts when he could and in 1992 John was awarded the Silver Wolf in recognition of his exceptional service.

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