Video: Introducing the fun and friendly Burnley running club where 'no-one gets left behind'

Karly's Angels running club certainly lived up to its name when a member suffered a heart attack the week before she was due to take part in a 10k run in 2019.

Doctors said the running and fitness activities the member, who is 60, was taking part in had kept her alive.

Lorraine said: "She started a cardio rehab programme and came back running with us at a nice steady pace and this year, along with a number of others, completed the Remembrance Sunday 10k run at Lytham."

The club was born after Lorraine and fellow couch to 5k runner and Burnley businessman Karl Greenwood became mentors for the programme. They realised that once the programme had been completed there wasn't anywhere else you could go to keep up the running that wasn't competitive.

Lorraine, who is 60, said: "A lot of candidates didn't want to join an athletics club but they wanted to keep up their running and also the well being and social side of the fitness model as many liked running in a group for the safety and social aspects."

The pair put their heads together and came up with the idea for a social running club and Karly's Angels took flight. The name comes from the nickname Karl's sisters used to tag him with as a child!

Lorraine added: "I just thought it was a great name for the club.

"We now have about 30 members, all from the couch to 5k programme.

"Anyone is welcome to join the group, all we ask is that you can run at least 5k. We don’t just run, we have walking outings, climbing outings and the Yorkshire Three Peaks is now an annual event.

"We even have a cycling group."

Friendships have been formed as the group enjoys social get togethers, meals out and a Christmas party was attended by 24 members. And the emphasis is on fun and fitness... you may have seem Karly's Angels out and a about in November for a Hallowe'en fancy dress run when Lorraine dressed as a witch and rode her bike!

But there is also a tremendous sense of achievement within the group. Of the 18 members who took part in the Lytham 10k Remembrance Sunday run in November four of them, Kate Coleman, Jess Hines, Sharren Fitzpatrick and Emma Taylor, could not run a yard just four months before.

Lorraine said: "What a fantastic day that was, I was blown away by our little club."

Members Tracey McGrail and Lindsey Bonnick love being part of the club where they said 'no-one gets left behind.'

Tracey said: "Everyone in the club has started out from C25K, so we are all in the same boat, and no one ever gets left behind on the runs we all do.

"Everyone is so supportive of each other and we now do other social events which is great."

Karly's Angels has even secured its own sponsorship with its own running tops and other merchandise thanks to the backing of G D Groundworks Direct Ltd, Scope Fire and Security Ltd, Optic Pine Construction Ltd, Bushido Ju Jitsu, Barnoldswick, EPC Local (Burnley) LTD, Burnley Eats and Eclipse Sports Ltd.

New members are always welcome to join he group which meets every Monday and Thursday evening at 6-30pm on the car park where the speed camera is on Queen Victoria Road.

If you would like more information please go to the Karly's Angels facebook page.