World champion Greg Rutherford honoured by MK Council

The Bletchley-born lad, who won gold in the world athletics championships last year, was tonight awarded a replica of ‘the leaping man’ by MK Council.

The original 26ft statue was erected in his honour on the A421 Fen Street Roundabout in 2014.

Mayor of Milton Keynes, Councillor Keith McLean, told the council: “Mr Rutherford has had many magnificent achievements while representing Great Britain at the Olympics World and European championships and England at the commonwealth games.

“By winning gold at the world athletics championships in Beijing, Mr Rutherford became only the fifth British athlete to hold the world, Olympic, European and commonwealth titles simultaneously.

“Not bad for a young man from Bletchley.”

Mr Rutherford thanked MK Council for the award at Wednesday night’s meeting - and called on councillors to continue supporting sport in Milton Keynes.

He tweeted: “A huge thank you to @mkcouncil for honouring my achievements at tonight’s meeting.

“It was great to meet you all and you almost made me cry.”

Mr McLean added: “I’m sure Two Mile Ash and Denbigh school pupils and teachers are enormously proud to have Mr Rutherford as a former student.

“We’re delighted Mr Rutherford is still a local face bringing up his family in the Woburn area where he and his partner had a son in 2014.”