OLYMPIC silver medalist Paul Ratcliffe has a huge debt to pay to Bolton - because the first time he jumped in a canoe was on Crompton Lodge.

The 26-year-old, who won silver in Sydney today, used to train in the lodge and in the River Croal up to three times a week with the Bolton Canoe Club!

And one of his early mentors was a Bolton businessman Tony Tickle, who has watched the success of the Tyldesley-born Olympian with pride.

He remembers when Ratcliffe was just a skinny 11-year-old turning up to try canoeing for the first time.

"I feel very proud of what Paul has achieved. I remember when he started coming to training at the club with his dad. I was one of the older members who set up courses for him and helped him train," said Mr Tickle, a former senior member of Bolton Canoe Club.

"I can't say I was instrumental in his success but this was certainly his first training ground and let's face it, he was basically paddling in a ditch. It just shows what hard work can do."

Ratcliffe, rated as one of Britain's best gold medal prospects prior to Sydney, has been World Cup champion for the last three years and is currently ranked number one in the country.

But it has taken many years of hard work for the 26-year-old to reach the standard he's now at.

Ratcliffe grew up in Tyldesley and got into canoeing at a young age. He trained long and hard with both Bolton and Manchester Canoe Club's and one of his main assests was his dedication.

Mr Tickle recalls: "One of the most important factors was that his dad was 150 per cent behind him and he used to run him everywhere and ferry him about.

"Paul had great dedication from a very early age. I remember thinking 'crikey, I wish I'd started at that age'. But I suppose you have to start young to win an Olympic medal."

And Mr Tickle, an accomplished canoeist himself who runs The Tickle Group, a creative media company in Bolton, has been a keen armchair fan, following Paul's progress avidly - even if it does mean setting the alarm clock at some unearthly hours.

"I got up at 5.30am yesterday to watch him compete in the qualifying", he said. "I am following his progress closely and I am very pleased that he's done so well."

Paul left Bolton and his home on Squires Lane four years ago and is now based in Nottingham - close to the British Canoe Union HQ. But he still has many friends from his time spent in the town and they have been cheering him on throughout his quest for Olympic glory.

It seems that Bolton and the surrounding region is a hotbed for canoeing talent. Coach of the National British Canoe Team is Alan Edge, who grew up in Radcliffe.