‘YOU’VE earned it Malcolm!’ trumpeted the headline of an article published in the Examiner back in 1972.

The photograph on this page captured a civic welcome at Bradley Youth Club that was attended by Huddersfield’s Mayor and Mayoress, Ald and Mrs W Eric Whittaker and other officials.

Together they are seen raising a toast to an elated young athlete – 20-year-old Malcolm Pickup – hoisted onto the shoulders of fellow club members Peter Cramp and Keith Charlton.

With a bottle of champagne held high, Malcolm celebrates the completion of a sponsored lone marathon from London to Huddersfield which raised a total of £1,000 for Cancer Relief.

That was a considerable sum in the early 1970s.

Throughout his epic run Malcolm had been supported by club leader Michael Haigh and his deputy, Betty Dalby.

They accompanied him en route in a Ford Transit towing a caravan courtesy of sponsors Goodall Caravans.

Two other big sponsors were Frank Butterfield and Bob Howarth.

Malcolm had been moved by the then recent death of track athlete Lillian Board who lost her life to bowel cancer.

Lillian had been special to the country during the 1960s.

Having been billed as ‘the golden girl of British athletics’ she had won the silver medal in the 400 meters in the 1968 Mexican Olympics and two gold medals in the 1969 European Championships in Athens.