HOLLY Bradshaw won an eighth British pole vault title and immediately dedicated the success to her grandfather, who passed away just a few hours before she competed in Manchester on Saturday.

The Chorley star set a stadium record height of 4.35m to clinch an eighth national outdoor title at the British Championships and said she did it for her 'biggest fan'.

“I have had a rough 24 hours,” Bradshaw told Athletics Weekly. “My Grandad, who was one of my biggest fans and always came to the British Champs, passed away yesterday (Friday) so I really thought it was appropriate to come and retain my British title for him."

Bradshaw, who finished in sixth place in the London Olympics in 2012 and fifth in Rio four years later, went in to the competition as clear favourite having leapt to her first Diamond League victory in Stockholm last month and followed up with a second place in Lausanne last week.

However, she admitted she was grateful to her family for rallying around at such an emotional time as she beat Sophie Cook who was second with 4.25m while Sophie Ashurst third with 3.70m.

“I struggled in the warm-up after not getting much sleep last night trying to rally the family around," added the Blackburn Harrier who has a best of 4.73m this year.

"It was important for them that I competed and became British champion. He would be really, really happy and proud of me.”