Adlington

Olympic swimming double gold medalist Rebecca Adlington returned Mansfield yesterday to a welcome of heroic proportions. Mansfield is my former home town of 37 or so years and I watched the national and local news with pride at her homecoming.

I left Mansfield for several reasons, I can't really say I miss the place, though I do miss the people, most of my life memories are from there, it's where I grew up.

Watching the news last night I realised how good Rebecca winning the gold was good for the town, good for the morale of the people who have had it bad over the years with industry closures and something positive for them to hold on to. It will certainly lift the spirit of the townsfolk and give them renewed pride, for though I fell out of love with the town and moved away I still love the people there.

In it's euphoria Mansfield has already renamed a town centre bar after Rebecca and there are plans to rename the local swimming pool too. Watching the news though I couldn't help cringe at the loathesome town mayor Mr Eggington jockeying for a place on camera, he has always been a great self publicist, and in my opinion ideally needs to address more serious matters within the town, as you can tell I'm not a fan of the man or indeed how the local council has ran the town over successive years.

Anyway I'm digressing here, congratulations to Rebecca and lets hope there is more medals at London in 2012.

Click here for overhead footage of the town turning out for Rebecca in the market square.

Click here for Rebecca being presented with some Jimmy Choo shoes by the Mayor.