Olympic heroes to appear at Salford Nocturne

Great Britain's triple Olympic hero Chris Hoy will be making a guest appearance at the Salford nocturne on the August 30. The Scottish sprinter, who recently became the first Briton to win three Olympic gold medals in a single Games since 1908, won't be riding the Nocturne itself but taking part in a pro-celebrity roller challenge featuring the likes of ex-England footballer Geoff Thomas.

"The Salford Nocturne is shaping up to be an exciting event," said Hoy, who is a Salford resident. "It's great that a new major cycling event is taking place right on my doorstep, it should be a lot of fun and a good opportunity to celebrate the success of the team following Beijing."

Other Great Britain Olympic champions present will be team pursuit members Geraint Thomas and Ed Clancy, who were part of the victorious team that twice smashed the World record in Beijing. Thomas also won the previous round of the Nocturne series in London's Smithfield area.

Since the Great Britain team is based in Manchester other Olympic stars are expected to be present as VIP guests at the event, which is based on a circuit around Salford Quays' Lowry Centre, not far from the Manchester United football stadium.

Councillor Barry Warner, lead member for culture and sport at Salford City Council added: "It's very exciting for us to be able to host an event like this in Salford and as well as attracting top athletes to the city, it's a chance for local people to be part of a national event right on their doorsteps."(BA)

(Additional editorial assistance provided by Ben Atkins, Monika Prell and Susan Westemeyer.)