Tom Harrington must be the best known Cumberland & Westmorland wrestler there is. Wrestling for more than 50 years, he has held a record number of 45 world championship titles – the 11st 21 times, 12st a dozen times, 12½st six times, the 13st five and the 14st once.

And although the All Weights championship evaded him, he was runner up seven times.

In 1982 Tom had five championship trophies in his possession. He also holds the record for the most Grasmere wins (21) doing the ‘double’ on three occasions.

Born at Loweswater in 1944, the fifth of 11 children, he and his brothers were encouraged to wrestle by their father, who was a great supporter of wrestling.

At eight years of age Tom first wrestled in an academy competition, representing Bootle. Moving around Cumbria in his early years he wrestled for both Bootle and Gilsland academies. At 17 he moved to Carlisle and attended Wigton Club along with Billy Harrison.

Tom also competed at Kendal academy and held the record for winning all three points classes; light, middle and heavy weights.

Tom, along with Ted Dunglinson and Roger Robson, founded Carlisle Wrestling club in 1970. He is still an active coach, liking nothing better than to see the youngsters learning, training and putting their skills into action.

He coached multi champion Alan Jones from a small boy and although he envisaged him becoming a great wrestler, he didn’t quite expect Alan to turn out just as tough as he did.

Tom laughed as he recalled Alan saying: “I won three championships in 1986 and you took every blasted one off me in 1987!”

Great rivals but great friends with a huge respect for each other.

In the 1970s Tom travelled to Cornwall to wrestle in the Cornish style. He has competed at several Celtic wrestling championships in Scotland, Brittany, Spain, Sardinia and the Canary Isles.

Giving an outstanding performance in León, Spain, Tom became a hero. Seven countries were competing and in the last of the pool bouts Tom met José Antonio Robles of the hosting country.

Robles took the first fall with a back heel. Rattled by this, Tom lost the next fall. There is no-one mentally tougher than Tom Harrington though. Fall by fall he clawed back to win 3-2 and the crowd went berserk. Tom then beat Columbu of Sardinia and Brian Long of Scotland to take the gold medal. Everyone wanted photos and autographs.

Tom says: “Wrestling today is just as good as ever but what’s missing is the support of parents and crowds of locals cheering you on”.

I asked: who was his role model? “Peter Hunter,” he said, “without a doubt. For both his wrestling skill and his calm composure.

“I felled him in the 13st final at Grasmere and for me that was my biggest achievement.”

Tom is a member of the CWWA Governing Board. In 1995 Tom was awarded the MBE for his services to Cumberland & Westmorland style wrestling – a just reward.