TOM Lancashire is a worthy winner of the Junior Sports Personality Of The Year award after taking the national middle distance scene by storm.

The 16-year-old is ranked number one junior in Britain at 1500m after setting one of the fastest times in the world at his age with 3mins 55secs.

During the last year the 800m and 1500m specialist won the Greater Manchester Championships, the British Schools International Championships and took a magnificent silver medal in the English Schools 1500m Championships. Then on the country he won the Greater Manchester Cross Country Championships and proved himself fourth best cross country runner in the country at his age, fully deserving the award of Bolton Harriers Athlete of the Year.

The Turton High School pupil has opened the new season in superb form with victory in both the 800m and 1500m in National Junior League and in the Greater Manchester Under-20 Championships in which he set a new personal best of 1 min 53 secs at the shorter distance. His current best at 1500m is 3 mins 55 secs.