JIM CADDY keeps on running and has no plans to stop.

At 78, the long-distance runner from Redcar won a gold medal in the British Masters Championship in Scotland last month, and the British Masters Road Races Championship, in Birmingham.

The pensioner has a hectic international running programme. Last weekend, he claimed a gold in the 10,000 metres at the British Masters Road Races Championship, clocking a time of just over 54 minutes and beating several younger runners.

He said: "I was hoping to beat 53 minutes, but it was a windy day and bit undulating, and I could not have run faster."

Mr Caddy will now head for the Czech Republic, where he will run 10,000 metres and take part in a six-kilometre cross country race at the European Veteran Athletics Championship later this month.

In July he will fly to Puerto Rico, where, in the space of ten days, he will run the 1,500 metres, 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres in the World Veterans Championships. He has been awarded £1,000 from the West Redcar Single Regeneration Budget Community Chest to help with travel.

Mr Caddy, who lives in Kirkleatham Almshouses, did not begin competing until he was 46, but now runs two hours a day.

He said: "This grant is marvellous. All the years I have competed, I have always supported myself. It will definitely ease my financial burden."