WHEN blind athlete Mike Ogle was chosen to carry the baton in the Queen's Jubilee relay, which visits East Lancashire over the next few days and ends at next week's Commonwealth Games, his biggest problem was who to nominate as his guider.

Seven or eight fellow members of Chorley Harriers regularly run with the 53-year-old.

So after using the tried and tested method of putting all the names of his helpers into a hat, it was decided Pete Gillham will accompany Mike around Rufford on Monday.

And Frances Griffiths, who was English Champion three times in the 400m hurdles in the mid 1970s, has also been invited to take part in this year's Commonwealth Games by carrying the Jubilee baton nearly 30 years after her major successes.

Frances and her 14-year-old daughter Anna, the Hyndburn AC athlete who won bronze in the Under 15 shot at the North of England Championships at the City of Manchester Stadium recently, will carry the baton through Blackburn on Monday.

Samantha Murray's chosen sport is the modern pentathlon which includes swimming, fencing, shooting, horse riding and cross country running. Although only 12 years old, the Clitheroe youngster has already toured Germany and Switzerland with the Great Britain World Class Performance Team.

She recently broke her arm but, now recovered, she will carry the baton on Monday in Lancaster.

For a man who has completed 129 marathons, carrying the Jubilee baton 400 metres through Chorley on Monday should be a breeze.

But it may be a swan song for Accrington Road Runners Honorary Vice President Harry Haseley. He suffers from arthritis so has recently switched to cycling.

Harry will be the second Accrington Road Runner to carry the baton. Helen Goodwin was chosen for her service to the Rossendale Fell and Mountain Rescue Service.

She was on duty last Saturday when the relay passed through York.

Blackburn Harrier Life Member Jason Lobo was in the England Team at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and also ran in the 1999 World Championships at Seville.

Since then untimely injuries have prevented the 800m star from qualifying for the Games but the Colne-based police officer swaps his usual baton on Monday.