WATCH: Running legend Ron scoops one last honour

Legendary marathon runner Dr Ron Hill MBE has become an honorary freeman of the borough of Tameside.

The award was presented during an extraordinary meeting of @TamesideCouncil at Dukinfield Town Hall on Tuesday evening.

Ron, who is 81 and lives in Hyde, came to prominence in the 1960s. He represented Great Britain in the 1964 and 1972 Olympics and won marathon gold at the 1969 European Championships in Athens and the 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games. In 1971 he took bronze at the Helsinki European Championships.

He lays claim to the longest streak of consecutive running - every day for 52 years and 39 days from 1964 to 2017. He has also held a host of world records at various distances and won several overseas marathons including Boston in 1970 when he shattered the course record by three minutes. He had raced in 100 countries before his 70th birthday in 2008.

Ron, whose doctorate is in textile chemistry, founded Ron Hill Sports in 1970, pioneering products including wrap-over shorts, mesh vests, waterproof running jackets and reflective strips.

In 1981, he launched the unique Tour of Tameside which comprised a double marathon run within the space of a week with each of the six stages being over different terrain. It was billed as the toughest challenge in British athletics.

The event, which drew competitors from all over the world, ran until 2000. It was relaunched in a modified format in 2015 and remains as popular and challenging as ever.

We were at the event and captured some of the highlights.