Meet the Wolverhampton park runner who has completed his 500th run and received a guard of honour

Clive Jukes was given a guard of honour by the other runners as he prepared to take part in his 500th Parkrun at West Park in Wolverhampton.

The 89-year-old was also celebrated with balloons bearing the number 500 on them and a cake and cheered all the way round as he completed his run.

He said that he felt proud to have achieved such a landmark number and spoke about his experiences of Parkrun.

He said: "I did the very first Parkrun at West Park and to be able to do this 500 times is a a bit of an achievement and I've enjoyed it and met some very pleasant people along the way.

"I've made a lot of friends and helped a few folks and I've enjoyed going there every Saturday morning.

"I felt a little foolish going through the clapping and cheering, but it was very kind of people and also kind of them to make the cake for me as well.

"I'd like to think that I can inspire a few people to run when they're older and I will be there to encourage them for as long as I can do so."

It was another landmark achievement for Clive, who has been a regular part of Parkruns at West Park since the first event in 2013, and his close friend Lucie Tait-Harris said it was a big thing to celebrate.

She said: "I've always put him on a pedestal to be quite honest as it's all very well for me, in my 50s, to be doing the Parkrun each week, but for him to be doing what he does every week is wonderful.

"I always hope that I can do what he does if I get to that age and everyone at Parkrun knows Clive as he is legendary, so they wanted to make a big deal about his 500th run.

"There were the balloons and the cake and before the run started, everyone parted and he walked through the middle and everyone was clapping."

Ms Tait-Harris said Clive was respected by everyone who took part in Parkrun at West Park and said it had been an emotional morning to see someone so inspirational be acknowledged like that.

She said: "Inspiration is exactly the word I would use to describe him and it's funny as we were chatting with him this morning before the Parkrun and he said that the trouble was that he never really ever set a good Parkrun time.

"He joked about it as he started in 2013 when Parkrun started in Wolverhampton and was 77 at the time and had run all his life, but the Parkrun has given him a new lease of life.

"He is a very funny man with a great sense of humour and we've always had a giggle with him, so yes, he's very inspirational."