An Olympic athlete who travelled the world collecting medals and setting records has died.

Accomplished sportsman Bob Birrell, from Roose in Barrow, died on March 21 at the age of 86.

The Barrovian represented Great Britain in the 110m hurdles at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome and held the UK and Commonwealth record.

Born on March 6 1938, Mr Birrell attended Roose Junior School and started running at about the age of six. He achieved a scholarship to Barrow Grammar School and continued his studies at Manchester University.

Mr Birrell became a member of his local club Barrow AC and competed in athletics at University.

Starting as a sprinter, Mr Birrell moved into running the hurdles and competing at other field events, winning medals at area and county level.

The sprint hurdles was hiskey event. He won the Northern Counties senior 120 yards Hurdles title seven times and represented Lancashire, the North, England and Great Britain.

In 1958 Mr Birrell represented England at the Empire Games in Cardiff in the 120 yards hurdles and qualified for the semi-final in 15 seconds.

Mr Birrell accomplished his dream in 1960 when he was selected for Great Britain in the 110m Hurdles at the Rome Olympic Games.

The following year he won the ‘City of Hull’ trophy as the best performer at the Northern Counties championships and set a Commonwealth record of 14 seconds.

Mr Birrell went on to compete in the European Games in Belgrade and the Commonwealth Games for the second time in Perth, Australia.

He qualified as a PE and Chemistry teacher in 1962 and took an appointment at Wirral Secondary School. Mr Birrell joined Liverpool Harriers in 1965 and set a club record for the sprint hurdles which still stands today.

Despite ‘retiring’ from competition in 1966, he still won the Northern sprint hurdles title consecutively between 1966 and 1969.

He went on to a successful career in coaching and officialdom and became the UK junior track and field team manager.

After competing at the highest level, Mr Birrell was president and secretary of the old Lancashire Men’s AA and, in 2003, he was elected for a term as president of Liverpool Harriers AC.