ONE of the founder members of one of East Lancashire’s biggest cycling clubs has died.

Frank Baistow, 95, helped to set up the Pendle Forest Cycling Club in the 1930s and was a keen cyclist well into his 60s, cycling 16 miles from his home in Barrowford to work at Blackburn and back every day.

His son Bob, 58, who is also a cyclist and a former Pendle Forest member, said: “He was one of the original founders of the club and was the last one around, he has out-lasted all of them.

“He started work in a mill in Barrowford but he liked to be outdoors so went to work on the railways, and he would cycle from Barrowford to Blackburn every day. He was working 12 hours a day on the railways as well as cycling to and from work, which was a fair trip, so he was very fit at the time.

“He worked his way up in the railways, from starting as a porter to becoming a guard, and his claim to fame was working as a guard on the Queen’s train for a bit.”

Frank met his wife Elsie, who died five years ago at the age of 85, at a wedding in Scotland.

Bob said: “My mum was from Scotland but moved down to Barrowford, and after a spell living in Redcar they eventually settled again in Blacko. I think when my mum died it took a lot out of my dad.”

Bob’s children have followed in the active footsteps of the family, with his eldest son Scott a fell runner who competes across Europe.

Paul Whittaker, secretary of Pendle Forest Cycling Club, said: “Mr Baistow was before my time at the club but he was one of the founder members of the cycling club.

“I’m told he was a very keen cyclist and worked on the railways in Blackburn.

“He used to commute from his home in Barrowford to Blackburn on a bike every day.”

Mr Baistow’s funeral is on Thursday at 10.20am, at Carleton Crematorium.