PLANS are in place to hold a 1920s-themed cross country race in Warrington’s Victoria Park to mark 95 years since Chris Vose ran at the Olympic Games.

Vose was the first Warrington Athletics Club member to medal at an Olympics, captaining the Great Britain cross country squad to a team silver in Antwerp.

Aged 33 at the time, Vose finished 19th in a race won by the legendary Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi, who beat Swede Eric Backman in a sprint finish.

The race – which included obstacles – was meant to be 10 kilometres, but organisers misjudged the distance and athletes actually ran just over eight.

Now Cllr Geoff Settle, mayor of Warrington, intends to produce a replica course – along with mini fun run – that could potentially include wooden obstacles, gates and logs.

The race is likely to be held in early October.

“We want to attempt to recreate the race in Antwerp in 1920,” he said. “It would be nice to have it as a curtain-raiser to the cross country season.

“We want it to have a 1920s theme, where runners can perhaps dress in 20s style and there would be 20s’ style food and certificates.

“We also hope to do a race for youngsters, with smaller obstacles and the possibility of running with family members.

“It would be something to celebrate the 95th anniversary of Chris Vose winning silver at the Olympics and captaining the Great Britain cross country team.”

There have been various Chris Vose events in Warrington before, with an annual ‘7½’ road race instigated in his honour in 1961.

It was won by former European Championships and Commonwealth Games marathon gold medalist Ron Hill a year later.

Hill also won a 10-mile Chris Vose race that started and finished in Orford in 1975.

Vose, who died in Grappenhall in August 1970 at the age of 83, began running in races that took place around the Wilderspool pitch before matches.

He won West Lancashire and Northern cross country titles in 1911, achieving third place individual and team finishes in the English Championships with Warrington AC the same season.

Two years later he regained both regional titles and finished as a runner up in the national event, as did the Warrington team.

Having received an international call up, Vose had to wait seven years for his Olympic bow following the outbreak of war.

Leading Warrington to West Lancashire and Northern titles once again in 1920, Vose was selected to captain the Great Britain cross country team in Belgium for the Antwerp Olympic Games.

And Cllr Settle hopes competitors will enjoy an event inspired by Warrington Athletics Club’s first Olympian.

“The thing about the 1920 Olympics is there was a raft of top artists and poets,” he added.

“Then, they had other events such as tug o’ war.

“It would be great to replicate the time, with old cars and activities.”